5 NY Jets veterans who may lose their job to younger players

The NY Jets have one of the youngest cores in the entire NFL. A historic 2022 NFL Draft class helped supplement what was already a young roster with a host of talented rookies. The end result is a Jets' roster ready to compete both in 2023 and the foreseeable future.

From Sauce Gardner to Garrett Wilson to Alijah Vera-Tucker, this Jets roster is stacked with young talent. There are still quite a few veterans holding down important roles as well, however.

Some of those veterans, like Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Mosley, aren't exactly in danger of losing their jobs. That isn't true for every veteran on the roster, though.

The following five veterans should be keeping one eye on their competition. Let's take a look at five veterans on the Jets roster who could lose their jobs to younger players in the near future.

5. Adrian Amos, S, NY Jets

The Jets just signed Adrian Amos to a one-year contract last month to serve as the de facto replacement for the injured Chuck Clark. Amos is expected to slot in alongside fellow safety Jordan Whitehead as a starter in the Jets' defense.

While Amos will most certainly start Week 1, there is a young player on the roster waiting in the wings if the eight-year veteran starts to struggle. That player is Tony Adams.

The Jets remain very high on the former undrafted free agent, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Adams start to receive some snaps on defense as the year goes on. As it stands, he might be the best true free safety on the Jets' roster.

Adams isn't necessarily a threat to Amos' job security just yet, but his development is something to keep an eye on. The Jets are very high on Adams' future.

4. Denzel Mims, WR, NY Jets

It's been a rollercoaster of a three years for Denzel Mims with the New York Jets. The 2020 second-round pick flashed as a rookie and looked every part of a future building block following his inaugural NFL season.

Since his rookie campaign, however, Mims has managed just 19 catches for 319 yards in two full seasons. He's still looking for his first NFL touchdown as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

Mims officially requested a trade from the Jets last summer, and despite receiving offers, the team never gave in to Mims' wishes. It's clear, though, that Mims doesn't really have a role on the team.

He's set to enter the summer as the sixth wide receiver on the Jets' depth chart, and it's far from a guarantee that he holds onto that spot. Mims was notably absent for most of OTAs for undisclosed reasons. In his absence, a number of younger receivers made waves.

The likes of Jason Brownlee, Xavier Gipson, Jerome Kapp, and Irvin Charles all received praise from the Jets' coaching staff and players, most notably Aaron Rodgers. They all developed all-important chemistry with Rodgers while Mims was nowhere to be found.

Mims is far from a lock to make the 53-man roster this summer, and some reports even suggest he's on the outside looking in. Even if the Jets opt to carry six wide receivers (which also isn't a guarantee), Mims might not make the cut.

Mims needs to prove that he deserves a spot on the Jets' roster this summer. If not, a younger receiver might just take his job.

3. C.J. Uzomah, TE, NY Jets

C.J. Uzomah may not have put up flashy numbers in his first year with the Jets, but the former Cincinnati Bengals draft pick still filled a valuable role in the team's offense.

Uzomah finished the season with 21 catches for 232 yards and two touchdowns, playing 53 percent of the Jets' offensive snaps and serving an important role as a reliable blocking tight end.

That's the role Uzomah is expected to fill again in 2023. Alongside Tyler Conklin, Uzomah hopes to give the Jets a tandem of capable tight ends to incorporate into new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett's offense.

Uzomah's role isn't 100 percent safe, however. Keep an eye on 2022 third-round pick Jeremy Ruckert.

Ruckert was reportedly one of the stars of OTAs this spring, and the Jets believe that the former Ohio State standout could be ready to take on a larger role in 2023. If that's the case, Uzomah might see his snap share decrease.

It isn't uncommon for young tight ends to struggle to contribute early in their NFL careers. Ruckert essentially put together a redshirt season in 2022. A full offseason of development seems to have done wonders, though.

If the Jets believe Ruckert is able to contribute now, they might try to incorporate him into the offense at the expense of Uzomah. That could cost Uzomah snaps in 2023 and, eventually, his job next season.

C.J. Uzomah is still an important piece in the Jets' offensive equation, but Jeremy Ruckert could provide competition for playing time in the very near future.

2. Michael Carter, RB, NY Jets

The Jets entered the 2022 season with what they believed to be one of the better running back tandems in the NFL. Breece Hall not only lived up to the hype, but he undoubtedly exceeded expectations as a rookie.

His partner in crime, however, didn't hold up his end of the bargain. Michael Carter was a disappointment last season.

The former fourth-round pick put together an impressive rookie campaign in 2021, rushing for 639 yards and four touchdowns on 4.3 yards per carry. Most expected Carter to be the Jets' RB1 in 2022 before the team drafted Hall in the second round.

Unfortunately, the 2022 season wouldn't be as kind to Carter. The 24-year-old finished with just 402 yards on a woeful 3.5 yards per carry. He was one of the NFL's most inefficient running backs.

There was a stark contrast between the Jets with and without Hall, and a lot of that was due to Carter's struggles. Entering the 2023 season, nothing is guaranteed for the former North Carolina star.

Carter is tentatively penciled in as the Jets' RB2 behind Hall, but that could change if the team signs Dalvin Cook. It also could change if fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda makes some waves this summer.

The Jets reportedly believe Abanikanda can contribute right away as a rookie, and many believe he might take over as the team's RB2 before the season is over. He's a direct threat to Carter's playing time.

1. Connor McGovern, C, NY Jets

The Jets re-signed Connor McGovern to a shockingly cheap one-year, $1.915 million contract just days before the 2023 NFL Draft. The move gave the Jets much-needed flexibility as it pertained to how they planned to approach the upcoming draft.

As it turns out, the Jets did still land their hopeful starting center of the future in second-round pick Joe Tippmann, but with McGovern in the mix, he's not going to be handed the starting job.

McGovern enters the summer as the team's starting center, although the Jets will be having an open competition for the job. Tippmann will have every opportunity to earn a starting role.

McGovern shouldn't be overlooked, though. The six-year NFL veteran has started 79 games over the last five years, 48 of which have come with the Jets. He's been a quality starter as well.

Following a shaky first season with the Jets, McGovern has put together consecutive starting-caliber campaigns. The 30-year-old lineman has ranked inside Pro Football Focus' top 10 centers in each of the last two seasons.

That said, the Jets clearly see Tippmann as their long-term starter. McGovern may begin the year as the team's starting center, but it likely won't be long before Tippmann takes over the starting job.

The Jets drafted Tippmann to be a cornerstone of their offensive line for the foreseeable future. Despite his quality play, McGovern is little more than a stopgap for the team at this stage.