5 NY Jets candidates to be cut going into the summer

The NY Jets have managed to assemble one of the most talented rosters in franchise history. Of course, that claim doesn't matter unless it results in wins, but on paper, it's hard to deny the talent of this Jets team.

The moves the team made this offseason further solidified their case as genuine Super Bowl contenders. Now, the process of finalizing their 53-man roster for the 2024 season begins.

An influx of talent leads to increased competition and, in turn, some difficult decisions that will have to be made. The Jets might have a tough time limiting their roster to just 53 players this summer.

The following five players should be considered firmly on the roster bubble as we draw closer to training camp in July. Here are five Jets cut candidates to keep an eye on this summer.

5. Xavier Gipson, WR, NY Jets

Xavier Gipson is probably the "safest" of the Jets' roster bubble receivers, but even he isn't guaranteed a roster spot. He will be fighting for his job alongside the likes of Jason Brownlee, Irvin Charles, and others this summer.

Gipson's special-teams prowess helped him earn a spot on the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie last year, as the former Stephen F. Austin standout spent the majority of the season as the Jets' primary kick and punt returner.

There were some highlights, namely his game-winning walk-off punt return touchdown in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills, but there were also some concerns about ball security that popped up here and there.

Gipson has some steep competition this year with rookie Malachi Corley, veteran Tarik Cohen, and others pushing him for his return man spot. If he loses that job, there's no guarantee he makes the 53-man roster.

4. Max Mitchell, OT, NY Jets

The Jets completely revamped their offensive line this summer, adding three new starters and some key depth pieces. The Jets' tackle room will look entirely different than it did a year ago, with three new core pieces in Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, and Olu Fashanu.

That's bad news for the incumbent tackles on the roster. Carter Warren has been running with the first-team offense with Moses sidelined for OTAs, but Max Mitchell has been stuck with the backups. That probably doesn't bode well for his future.

Smith, Moses, and Fashanu are locks for the 53-man roster, and it's hard to see the Jets giving up on Warren after just one year. That leaves Mitchell as the fifth tackle on the depth chart.

Mitchell struggled mightily in his second NFL season last year and appears to be on the outside looking in on the roster bubble. It might take a strong summer or an injury for him to make the team.

3. Zaire Barnes, LB, NY Jets

The Jets selected linebacker Zaire Barnes with a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft with the hope that he would carve out a role on special teams as a rookie. That didn't exactly happen, however.

Barnes appeared in just four games as a rookie and was a regular game-day inactive. He only received playing time as a result of injuries, mainly to fellow special-teams linebacker Chazz Surratt.

Barnes was an afterthought as a rookie and was unable to earn the Jets' trust as a special-teams regular. If that continues into 2024, it's hard to see there being a roster spot available for him.

Surratt is a favorite of both Robert Saleh and Brant Boyer, and Jamien Sherwood is the Jets' top backup linebacker. Throw in other special-teams standouts such as Sam Eguavoen and Marcelino McCrary-Ball, and Barnes might not make it through another summer with the Jets.

2. Allen Lazard, WR, NY Jets

If the Jets could simply outright release Allen Lazard, they likely would've done it already. Unfortunately, simply cutting Lazard isn't a viable option, given that his dead cap hit of over $18 million is over $6 million more than his standard cap hit in 2024.

In essence, the Jets would pay over $6 million more to release Lazard than they would to just keep him on the roster. Needless to say, they're not going to do that.

That doesn't mean Lazard is a lock for the 53-man roster, though. The Jets will explore any and all trade options involving the struggling wide receiver this summer. If any team is willing to bite, the Jets probably won't hesitate to get a deal done.

Lazard doesn't offer special-teams value, was abysmal last season, and has struggled thus far this spring. His status is worth monitoring as we approach the summer — the Jets really want to get rid of him.

1. Israel Abanikanda, RB, NY Jets

Much has been made about Israel Abanikanda's roster status since the Jets drafted two running backs this past April. As we approach mandatory minicamp later this month, it's become increasingly apparent that the second-year running back is in trouble.

Abanikanda has primarily worked with the second and third-team offense this spring despite Breece Hall being sidelined with a minor injury. Instead, it's been rookie Braelon Allen who has emerged as the favorite to be the Jets' RB2 behind Hall.

Abanikanda has split reps with rookie Isaiah Davis, 2023 practice squad member Xazavian Valladay, and veteran Tarik Cohen, and he's reportedly looked the worst of all of them at OTAs.

There's still time for Abanikanda to change the narrative with an impressive summer, but he'll very much be competing for a roster spot in training camp. He's fighting an uphill battle.