5 most irreplaceable players on the NY Jets roster in 2022

The NY Jets have done an excellent job of restocking their roster with talent over the last few offseasons. And after years of losing, the results of their labor are finally starting to show.

This Jets team is 3-2 entering the middle of October, and it's not because they've gotten lucky. The Jets have a talented roster led by a number of young, promising building blocks.

While the Jets do have ample depth at a number of key positions, another product of proper roster building, there are a few players who are simply irreplaceable. Guys who, if they were to go down with an injury, couldn't be replaced no matter the depth the team had.

Those are the players we're set to talk about today. Let's take a look at the five most irreplaceable players on the Jets roster. But first, a few honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

• Elijah Moore/Garrett Wilson/Corey Davis

The Jets have a talented trio of wide receivers in Elijah Moore, Garrett Wilson, and Corey Davis, but the presence of all three helps soften the blow of one injury. That's why none of them make this list.

• C.J. Mosley

C.J. Mosley is one of the most important vocal leaders for the Jets on and off the field. He's not the player he used to be, but his leadership still makes him a vital part of the roster. That said, he's just not as much of a difference-maker as some of his other teammates.

• Zach Wilson

It's difficult to leave Zach Wilson off this list seeing as he is the designated quarterback of the future, but it feels a bit premature to say he's "irreplaceable." The Jets can't really afford to lose Wilson, but it's too early to say that he can't be replaced.

• Carl Lawson

Carl Lawson is finally beginning to find his groove after a slow start to his Jets career. He was a dominant force in Week 5 and is inarguably one of the best players on the roster, but the Jets have enough defensive end depth to cover their bases.

5/4. D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner, CB, NY Jets

Yes, this is technically cheating. Through five weeks, the Jets have had the best cornerback duo in the NFL — and it's become impossible to argue that notion.

D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner rank second and fifth among qualified cornerbacks (at least 80 percent of coverage snaps played) in catches allowed. They rank third and fifth in yards allowed and are the sixth and seventh least targeted cornerbacks in the league, per Pro Football Focus.

No cornerback duo comes close to matching those numbers. Prior to Week 5, they were also the only starting cornerback duo to not be flagged a single time this season — and the less said about those Week 5 "penalties" the better.

Reed and Gardner have been two of the best players at their position this season which is why losing either to injury would be devastating to a Jets defense that has played well in recent weeks.

The Jets would turn to either Bryce Hall or Brandin Echols in the event of an injury. Hall and Echols are excellent backups who could feasibly start on sometimes, but there would be a significant drop-off in talent.

That's what makes Reed and Gardner so irreplaceable. It's not that the Jets don't have good cornerback depth, because they do. It's just that Reed and Gardner have been so good that replacing them is a near-impossible task.

3. Breece Hall, RB, NY Jets

Breece Hall is already a star in the NFL. The 2022 second-round pick became the first Jets rookie to record 100 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown in the same game and the first rookie to do so on any team this season.

He currently ranks 10th in the entire league in scrimmage yards after a 197-yard performance in Week 5. Hall was just three rushing yards shy of finishing the day with 100 rushing and 100 receiving yards.

By every metric, he's been one of the most valuable and explosive offensive weapons in the NFL through five weeks. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that he's the most important player on the Jets' offense right now.

Much like with the cornerback position, it's not as if the Jets don't have good running back depth. Michael Carter is an excellent player in his own right and someone who has earned a role in this offense.

But Hall is simply more dynamic at this stage. The 21-year-old is averaging 4.9 yards per carry and already has 17 catches for 213 yards through five weeks. He's on pace for 935 rushing and 724 receiving yards, and that's with Hall serving as the Jets' RB2 through the first three weeks of the season.

Now that he's the established RB1 in the Jets' backfield, look for Hall to continue proving why he's one of the best young offensive weapons in the NFL.

2. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, NY Jets

It's impossible to understate just how valuable Alijah Vera-Tucker is to the Jets. The former first-round pick has already started at four different positions on the offensive line in his first 21 starts as a professional.

He's not just starting, though. He's playing at a high level, regardless of his experience level.

Vera-Tucker switched from guard to left tackle in Week 4, a position he hadn't played since college. He more than held his own. But perhaps his most impressive feat came this past week when Vera-Tucker switched over to right tackle upon the return of Duane Brown.

Despite having never played the position in his life and having received just a few reps at right tackle throughout the week, Vera-Tucker was the Jets' best offensive lineman in Week 5.

Not only that, but he was one of just three offensive tackles in the entire NFL to finish with a Pro Football Focus pass-rush and run-block grade north of 76.0 this week. You could argue that Vera-Tucker was one of the best tackles in football in Week 5.

What Vera-Tucker is doing is almost entirely unprecedented in the modern NFL. Guys like Patrick Mekari of the Baltimore Ravens and Daniel Brunskill of the San Francisco 49ers pride themselves on versatility, but neither plays at the same level as Vera-Tucker.

The only comparable player in the modern NFL might be Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins. If Vera-Tucker keeps this up, he should join Jenkins in the Pro Bowl before long.

1. Quinnen Williams, DT, NY Jets

Simply put, Quinnen Williams is the best player on the Jets' roster. When Williams is on the field, the Jets are a better team — a much better team.

The former first-round pick ranks first among interior defensive linemen in sacks, second in QB hits, third in Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade, and fourth in total pressures. He's a top-three defensive tackle in the NFL right now. It's hard to dispute that.

Williams has finally broken out into the player the Jets hoped he could be when they drafted him third overall back in 2019. He's no longer a very good/great player. He's among the elite players at his position.

If Williams were to miss time with an injury, the Jets wouldn't really have any way to replace him. Sheldon Rankins is having a solid season, but he's no Quinnen Williams. The likes of Solomon Thomas and Nathan Shepherd won't come close to matching Williams' pass-rush production.

He's irreplaceable, which makes sense for a guy who's one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. Those players don't grow on trees. For every Aaron Donald, there are roughly 50 Nathan Shepherds.

There isn't another Quinnen Williams on the Jets' roster and the drop-off to his replacements would be significant. He's a player the Jets can't afford to lose under any circumstances.