NY Jets: 5 observations on the team's latest roster rebuild

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The Jets signed five primary defensive free agents in the offseason — edge rushers Carl Lawson and Vinny Curry, safety Lamarcus Joyner, linebacker Jarrad Davis, and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.

Unfortunately, the first three are injured and done for the year, while Davis should return before Thanksgiving. The Jets will try to make things work over the next four months with Shaq Lawson, Bryce Huff, Jarrod Wilson, B.J. Goodson, and others to offset those injuries.

Expected superstar Quinnen Williams, who opened his season with two QB hits over 39 snaps, was the Jets’ third most productive DT on the field after Folorunso Fatukasi and Sheldon Rankins.

Defensive captain C.J. Mosley, who hadn’t played in two years, made some nice plays and communicated effectively to his young defense as the middle linebacker. But he hardly looked like that Ravens Pro Bowler.

Saleh’s projected outside linebackers, Jamien Sherwood and Hamsah Nasirildeen, were converted rookie college safeties playing in their first pro games.

Then three plays into the first quarter, Sherwood sprained his ankle, and the edge rush went nonexistent. The unit provided no answer for the revitalized McCaffery, who amassed 187 total yards. 

NY Jets fans might have seen the last of third-year linebacker Blake Cashman. The Minnesota star dropped to Day 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft due to his propensity for injuries, and he recently plummeted on the Gang Green depth chart to back up the two untested rookies.

Now Cashman is about to miss part of his third straight season after another long-term setback (hamstring) in a season opener.