4 personnel changes the NY Jets should consider making

The NY Jets have been criticized at points this season for making questionable personnel decisions. To their credit, the coaching staff has cleaned some of that up in recent weeks, most notably on offense.

Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was criticized plenty for his extensive usage of 12 personnel. Despite tight end being likely the weakest position group on the roster, the Jets still used two tight ends 32 percent of the time over the first six games of the season.

That number has dropped significantly to just 18 percent over the last two games with LaFleur using more of the Jets' talent at wide receiver.

The switch away from 12 personnel has coincided with an uptick in 10 personnel with the Jets deploying four-wide-receiver-sets 13 percent of the time since Week 8.

Over the first six games of the season, the Jets used one percent on a lowly percent of offensive snaps. And this change came with the Jets missing their No. 1 wide receiver, Corey Davis.

It's no surprise that the Jets have been able to find more success on offense as a result of those two changes. Credit to LaFleur and the coaching staff for making the necessary midseason adjustments.

But even with those changes, the Jets' personnel usage is far from perfect. There are still a few alterations the Jets could make to improve the team moving forward.

Here are four personnel changes the Jets should consider making.

4. The NY Jets should let Michael Carter II play some safety

This is one of the more experimental suggestions on this list, and it's one that comes with a degree of risk.

Michael Carter II has been a revelation as a rookie proving to be one of the better slot cornerbacks in the NFL despite being drafted in the fifth round this year. Few could have expected this level of production from the former Duke standout.

But the Jets are desperate for safety help at the moment.

The losses of Lamarcus Joyner and most recently Marcus Maye have left the Jets without anything closely resembling a starting-caliber player in their defensive backfield.

Ashtyn Davis is the most notable safety on the roster, but the former third-round pick has had his fair share of struggles. Aside from Davis, the Jets have veterans Sharrod Neasman and Jarrod Wilson as well as the newly-signed Elijah Riley.

That's hardly an inspiring group. So while it might be risky to move Carter away from the position he's excelled at, it comes out of necessity.

Carter played both slot corner and safety in college and has plenty of experience in a typical free safety role. That's the role he could fill with the Jets, at least on a part-time basis.

The Jets have enough depth at cornerback to get by, especially with Javelin Guidry also playing at a high level this season.

The Jets just need to get their best five defensive backs on the field, and if that results in Carter playing some safety, then so be it.

3. The NY Jets should use Kenny Yeboah more and Ryan Griffin less

It's hard to find a midseason solution for the Jets' tight end position. Easily the most uninspiring group on the roster, the position is the weakest it's been this season following the loss of Tyler Kroft to injury and the departure of Daniel Brown.

At the moment, the Jets have just one true tight end on their roster in Ryan Griffin. There's also fullback/tight end hybrid Trevon Wesco as well as practice squad players Kenny Yeboah and Nick Bawden, both of whom were protected this week.

There isn't much in the way of "potential" with that group. Griffin is a 31-year-old veteran who would struggle to make most NFL rosters. Wesco has been fine as a fullback, but clearly isn't a long-term piece at tight end. And Bawden is a former seventh-round pick who has played exclusively at fullback.

The only one with any semblance of potential is Yeboah.

Signed as an undrafted free agent following this year's draft, Yeboah was a player who many hoped would make an impact this summer. But aside from a miracle Hail Mary reception in the final game of the preseason, Yeboah was mostly a nonfactor.

Still, many pegged the Ole Miss product as a solid Day 3 prospect and the Jets opted to keep him around on their practice squad.

The Jets clearly see Yeboah as a developmental project, but they pretty much have no choice but to play him now.

And rather than play Griffin for 70 percent of offensive snaps as they have been doing, it might make more sense to see what they have in Yeboah.

What do they have to lose? It's not as if he could be a major drop-off from the duo of Griffin and Wesco.

2. The NY Jets should start Laurent Duvernay-Tardif over Greg Van Roten

The NY Jets went out and made a move for former Kansas City Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif at the trade deadline eyeing additional offensive line depth.

A longtime starter in Kansas City, Duvernay-Tardif lost his starting job after opting out in 2020 and seeing rookie Trey Smith usurp him on the depth chart in the summer.

But it wasn't long ago that Duvernay-Tardif was an above-average starting right guard for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

It just so happens that the Jets have a gaping hole at right guard.

While the Jets' offensive line has been pretty good this season, Greg Van Roten remains the obvious weak link. Van Roten has allowed more QB pressures (28) than any right guard in the NFL through nine weeks, and that's despite playing one less game than most other players.

The Jets could really use an upgrade at the position, and it might be time to give Duvernay-Tardif a shot.

There is an argument in favor of keeping Van Roten in the starting lineup. The 31-year-old has put together two of his best performances of the season in the past four weeks and hasn't allowed a sack since Week 4.

You could also point to offensive line chemistry as a reason to stick with what they have. Ultimately, however, Van Roten continues to hold the Jets' offensive line back and giving a proven veteran in Duvernay-Tardif a shot makes a ton of sense.

It might be time for a change at right guard.

1. The NY Jets should play Jonathan Marshall over Nathan Shepherd

This one is relatively subtle, but it's something that should have happened a long time ago. There is absolutely no reason for Nathan Shepherd to be on the field for the Jets.

The former third-round pick is a liability and has been one of the worst defensive linemen in football this season by virtually every metric.

Shepherd is currently ranked 121st out of 121 qualified interior defensive linemen by Pro Football Focus with a 30.2 grade.

No defensive lineman in the NFL has been penalized more than Shepherd who has been flagged five times, despite the fact that he's played only 35 percent of defensive snaps.

On top of that, he's missed 20 percent of his tackle attempts, has just one QB hurry, and is one of only a handful of defensive linemen to be tagged with allowing a catch this season.

Shepherd is a massive liability who shouldn't even be active on gamedays, let alone receiving significant playing time.

The Jets would be wise to give many of his snaps to rookie sixth-round pick Jonathan Marshall who fills a similar three-technique role. Marshall has been a healthy scratch most weeks but certainly deserves an opportunity over Shepherd.

This one wouldn't be a major change, but it's easily the bigger no-brainer move on this list.