Ranking the NY Jets' 5 biggest disappointments of 2021

The NY Jets, as a whole, performed about as well as most probably expected them to in 2021, especially when considering the misfortunate the team was forced to deal with.

The Jets finished with a 4-13 record that included wins over teams like the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals. There are plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the 2022 offseason, but it's safe to say that 2021 wasn't the kindest year for every player on the roster.

While players such as George Fant and Bryce Hall undoubtedly exceeded expectations, there were a few others who fell short of their pre-season prospects.

Let's take a look at five of the biggest disappointments for the Jets in 2021.

5. Keelan Cole, WR, NY Jets

The Jets signed Keelan Cole to a one-year, $5.5 million contract in the offseason with the expectation that he would serve as valuable depth to a much-improved wide receiver corps.

Unfortunately, Cole fell well short of those expectations and was mostly an afterthought or liability when on the field. And he was on the field a lot — more than most probably realize.

Cole actually led all Jets wide receivers with 557 offensive snaps, but despite this, he managed just 28 catches for 449 yards and a touchdown. He was one of Pro Football Focus' worst-graded wide receivers and the tape supports that.

Cole was little more than a body for the vast majority of the time he was on the field. That's a far cry from the high-end WR4 the Jets thought they were bringing in.