5 NY Jets who are fighting for their future jobs in Week 18

The NY Jets as a team don't have much to play for other than pride in their 2023 season finale against the New England Patriots this Sunday. Sure, it would be nice to finally end an eight-year losing streak against their division rivals, but the Jets have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

The only tangible impact Sunday's game will have on the future of both franchises is that the matchup will help determine where both teams select in the 2024 NFL Draft.

For the players, however, there's always more at stake. Players don't care about draft position — they want to win and play the best game they can to improve their own stock. That's especially true for the five players on this list.

Let's take a look at five Jets players who are quite literally fighting for their future jobs in Sunday's Week 18 matchup.

5. Carter Warren, OT, NY Jets

Jets rookie offensive tackle Carter Warren will make his fifth NFL start when he takes the field this Sunday. The Jets never expected Warren to play this early in his pro career, but a slew of injuries has given the 2023 fourth-round pick a golden opportunity.

To this point, Warren has mostly struggled. He's allowed 19 pressures and five sacks in five games (four starts). His 46.2 Pro Football Focus grade ranks 76th out of 82 offensive tackles to play at least 300 snaps this season. That's a worse grade than both Max Mitchell and Mekhi Becton.

None of this should be surprising, given that not only did Warren miss time this summer and fall with an injury but he's also being asked to play a position he didn't really play in college. It was always going to be an uphill battle for him this season.

Still, Warren has a chance to finish out his rookie season on a high note and perhaps convince the Jets that he can be counted on as a swing tackle option in 2024. Right now, he's likely just competing for a roster spot next summer.