5 NY Jets players who could be nice surprises in 2024

2. Allen Lazard, WR, NY Jets

Allen Lazard's 2023 season was, for all intents and purposes, an unmitigated disaster. Lazard signed a big-money contract with the Jets in the offseason and proceeded to finish as arguably the worst wide receiver in the NFL.

The former Green Bay Packers wideout ranked 153rd out of 153 qualified wide receivers in ESPN's cumulative analytical rankings. He was a healthy scratch on multiple occasions, with the Jets opting to play numerous undrafted rookies over him.

All of that being said, Lazard is better than what he showed in 2023. He may not be worth the contract the Jets signed him to, but he's better than what the organization has seen to this point.

The return of Aaron Rodgers should help Lazard in a big way, and he's currently penciled in as the team's WR3. That could change between now and the regular season, but Lazard should still have a role in 2024.

And there's no reason he shouldn't be significantly better.

1. Tyler Conklin, TE, NY Jets

Tyler Conklin might be the most underrated player on the Jets' roster. Despite being saddled with abysmal quarterback play, Conklin ranks top-10 among all tight ends in receiving yards over the last two seasons.

Although his numbers might not jump off the stat sheet, Conklin is coming off the best year of his career. The 28-year-old finished with an outstanding drop rate of just 1.6 percent in 2023, the second-lowest among all tight ends with at least 50 targets.

Conklin also recorded the fourth-highest catch rating, per ESPN Analytics, and hauled in just shy of 67 percent of his contested catch attempts, ranking third-best among qualified tight ends.

Conklin is an obvious candidate for positive regression with an improved quarterback situation in 2024. Don't be surprised if he emerges as a genuine playmaker in the Jets' offense next season.