7 NY Jets players who improved their stock against the Falcons

The NY Jets officially extended their preseason winning streak on Monday night, scoring a come-from-behind 24-16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

It wasn't always a pretty game as both teams finished with double-digit penalties on what was a sloppy, rainy night at MetLife Stadium. In many ways, it was the epitome of preseason football.

The Jets opted to rest the vast majority of their starters which opened the door for a number of back-of-the-roster players to receive more playing time. Which players made the most of their increased opportunities?

Let's take a look at seven Jets players whose stock is on the rise following Monday night's preseason victory.

7. Lawrence Cager, TE, NY Jets

Lawrence Cager still feels like a bit of a roster longshot, but if he fails to make the team, it won't be due to a lack of effort on his part. Few players have done more to improve their stock over the summer than he has.

The converted wide receiver once again shined on Monday finishing as the Jets' leading receiver with three catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. The highlight came on a 34-yard crosser that he turned into a touchdown midway through the third quarter.

The Falcons never picked up Cager who seemingly made the correct decision on a choice route, and the former Georgia standout turned on the Jets and burst into the end zone for the score.

If the Jets carry four tight ends, it's hard to argue that Cager doesn't deserve a spot on the 53-man roster. He continues to prove his worth both in practice and the preseason.

6. Jamien Sherwood, LB, NY Jets

Not enough attention has been paid to the incredible rehab process that Jamien Sherwood underwent this offseason. Sherwood tore his Achilles in late October of last year and still managed to return completely healthy for the start of rookie minicamp in June.

That alone is impressive enough, but Sherwood has also made strides on the field to become a more consistent player. We saw that on Monday when the former college safety made a number of plays on defense throughout the night.

Sherwood finished with four total tackles and earned a stellar 79.8 Pro Football Focus grade for his efforts. His 77.1 coverage grade was among the best on the team and he was also impressive in run defense recording two "defensive stops."

The Jets see Sherwood as their backup MIKE linebacker and someone who could feasibly even take over for C.J. Mosley as soon as next season. Performances like this one certainly help his case.

5. Denzel Mims, WR, NY Jets

Denzel Mims might not be on the Jets' roster in a week's time, but he's still doing what he can to increase his value. Mims was relegated to work almost exclusively with the third-team offense on Monday, although he did make the most of his snaps.

The former second-round pick finished with three catches for 43 yards including an impressive 27-yard strike from Mike White where Mims sat down and found the hole in the zone coverage.

Perhaps more importantly, Mims received significant playing time on special teams for the first time in his NFL career. The results were mixed as he was flagged for an illegal block on a punt return, but it is noteworthy that the Jets trusted him to be out there.

It still feels inevitable that Mims is either traded or outright released by this time next week, but he did himself a few favors on Monday night.

4. Jonathan Marshall, DT, NY Jets

Jonathan Marshall is one of a handful of players fighting for a rotational role on the Jets' defensive line, and he certainly made the most of the opportunities he was given on Monday.

With the Jets sitting their entire starting defensive line, Marshall played the majority of the game and was one of the most disruptive players on that side of the ball. The former sixth-round pick finished with five tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss.

That sack and tackle for loss came on consecutive plays in the third quarter where he first came flying up the middle to bring down Feleipe Franks only to blow up a screen pass on the very next play.

Marshall is competing with the likes of Nathan Shepherd and Tanzel Smart for both snaps and roster spots. He was easily the most effective of the three on Monday night.

3. Sauce Gardner, CB, NY Jets

To this point, the Jets have pretended that there's been a "competition" between rookie Sauce Gardner and the incumbent Bryce Hall for the starting cornerback job opposite D.J. Reed. After Monday's game, it's time they end the charade.

Hall had a disastrous performance on Monday night allowing four catches on four targets and surrendering a perfect passer rating when targeted. It was a downright awful night for the former Virginia standout.

As for Gardner, he was once again flawless and has yet to even be targeted in his preseason career. Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota didn't look Gardner's way on any of his eight coverage snaps, something that might become a familiar trend in the latter's career.

It's clear who the Jets' starting cornerbacks should be. Let's stop pretending.

2. Bradlee Anae, DE, NY Jets

The Jets are absolutely loaded at defensive end, and that much was made evident when Bradlee Anae, perhaps the last guy on the defensive end depth chart, made the play of the night on Monday.

With the Jets leading 17-16 in the fourth quarter, Anae sacked Franks on a beautiful shoestring tackle, forced a fumble, picked up the fumble himself, and ran it all the way back into the end zone for what would prove to be the dagger.

It was a complete performance from Anae who flashed at other points throughout the game as well. His 79.8 PFF pass-rush grade was among the highest on either team in Monday's game.

With so many players vying for maybe 1-2 spots, it's going to be difficult for Anae to crack the 53-man roster. But he deserves to be on some team's roster, whether it's the Jets or not.

1. Chris Streveler, QB, NY Jets

Chris Streveler has captured the hearts of Jets faithful this summer in a not-too-dissimilar way to how Mike White did so last year. Only Streveler's rise has come at the expense of the Canton resident.

With Joe Flacco sitting out, White and Streveler were the only two quarterbacks to play for the Jets on Monday, and it was abundantly clear who the better player was. While White struggled, Streveler shined.

The former CFL star completed 8-of-11 passes for 119 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on a potentially catchable throw to Denzel Mims. He also led the team with 33 rushing yards on six attempts.

Streveler helped put together another second-half comeback and has been the catalyst behind both Jets' preseason victories this summer. Will it be enough to usurp White on the depth chart? Likely not. But he's certainly done everything in his power to improve his stock this preseason.