NY Jets: 5 takeaways from first unofficial depth chart

Monday morning marked the latest day of training camp for the NY Jets. Having been in the stands, one can tell it is a game week. The energy was through the roof, there was a sense of urgency that intensified the drills, and everyone meant business.

To date, fans have wondered what the depth chart would look like for their first pre-season game Saturday against the New York Giants. Head Coach Robert Saleh and company have made it hard to tell, constantly rotating players. It seemed as if everyone was getting the same amount of reps.

That was until the conclusion of Monday’s practice when the team announced their first unofficial depth chart of the season. There were a handful of anticipated moves, including Zach Wilson as the starting quarterback and the cornerback duo of Blessuan Austin and Bryce Hall.

At the same time, there were a ton of surprises too. While some were not major, like Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore being among the second wave of receivers, there are some that will catch one’s attention.

That being said, here are the five biggest takeaways from the New York Jets first unofficial depth chart of 2021…

Honorable Mention: NY Jets Kicker

During Saturday night’s Green & White Scrimmage at MetLife Stadium, fans got a rare glimpse of the kicking competition. Recently added Matt Ammendola made his Broadway debut, destroying fellow kicker Chris Naggar.

Ammendola went 4-4 on field goal drills but missed an extra point in the scrimmage. Meanwhile, Naggar went 1-4 on field goals as his power was a show and went onto push a kickoff out of bounds to open the scrimmage.

Currently, Naggar gets the nod as the first-team kicker entering the pre-season. If that were to change though over the next few weeks though, nobody would be surprised.

1. Battle for right tackle of the NY Jets

Late in the off-season, the Jets inked former Washington Football Team starting right tackle Morgan Moses to a deal. Many assumed he would immediately take the position from George Fant. Instead, the team has another idea.

Fant, who only recently began practicing again after missing time on the Reserve/COVID-19, is listed along with Moses for the first-team offense. And for good reason too.

Entering year two with the Jets, Fant is familiar with the team. His athleticism is perfect for offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur’s outsize zone run/play-action heavy offense. Not to mention, Fant started a career-high 14 games for the Jets last season.

At the same time, this is Morgan Moses. The 30-year-old has started every game since 2015 and is one of the top right tackles in the game. After his 79.9 overall grade from PFF ranked 18th among tackles last season, getting him as a free agent is an absolute steal.

Listen, it would be nice if George Fant could play up to the three-year, $30-million deal he signed last off-season. Especially considering New York could have saved money this off-season had they cut him.

Nevertheless, Fant is with the team and has not officially lost the starting job to Moses. Until he does, they will be neck and neck fighting for the right tackle gig. It may not be the flashiest of competitions but given this is a battle to determine who will be blocking for rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, it is the most important one moving forward.

2. Running back order of the NY Jets

From the start, once the Jets hired Mike LaFleur as their offensive coordinator, it would not matter the order the running backs were in. Coming from San Francisco, LaFleur was bound to use a deep running back committee. After all, it is the perfect fit for an outside zone run scheme.

New York revamped their running back room too for it. Out was Frank Gore, returning is La’Mical Perine, Josh Adams, and Ty Johnson. All who flashed their potential down the stretch last season.

In comes three players – Tevin Coleman, Michael Carter, and Austin Walter. Coleman, 28, is coming off the worst year of his career, where injuries hindered his play. Given he is a running back, there was a chance he would not bounce back. Yet, during training camp, Coleman has shown he is at full strength and ready to remind the league who he is.  

As for Michael Carter, the rookie fourth-round pick has put his speed and shiftiness on full display. Getting involved in the run and pass game, he can make an impact from day one. Austin Walter also joins the show, coming from the 49ers. He too has been a noteworthy player during camp, earning more and more reps of late.

Again, the running back depth chart is not one to fret over. To open the pre-season, the veteran Tevin Coleman will run with the first-team offense, with second-year back La’Mical Perine right behind him.

The third team is Ty Johnson, who has impressed during training camp after breaking out late in 2020. Listed with the fourth team are Carter, Adams, and Walter. Expect this order to change often leading into the season.

3. Chris Herndon at tight end of the NY Jets

Like the running back position, tight end has seen a revolving door during training camp. The New York Jets employ a handful of talented tight ends, though none of them have separated themselves from the pack during training camp.

Fourth-year tight end Chris Herndon is listed as the starter, given he is the most talented. Despite a disappointing past two years, Herndon is finally healthy and hopes to have an impact as he did in 2018. That is if he can hang onto the starting gig.

Ryan Griffin is a do-it-all tight end who is in the running for the starting job as well. In 2020, his season-ending ankle surgery from the year before lingered, as Griffin was a non-factor in the passing game. Now, Griffin is healthy and has been making plays throughout training camp.

Tyler Kroft comes to the Jets having spent the previous two years with the Buffalo Bills. Standing at 6’6” and 252-pounds, Kroft is a great blocker and red zone threat. He may not provide much as a receiver outside of the red zone, but he is another well-rounded tight end.

areHerndon, Griffin, and Kroft make up the first three tight ends on the depth chart. Following them with the fourth-team offense is Trevon Wesco, Daniel Brown, and Kenny Yeboah. Right off the bat, Wesco should come with an asterisk, as he is transitioning to fullback.

Thus, leaving Brown and Yeboah. Brown enters his third year in Gotham Green, primarily playing on special teams. Yeboah, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, is a smaller tight end but one who can become a factor in the passing game. He has made his money during training camp in the red zone, having a couple of multi-touchdown games.

4. 5. Rookie starting at linebacker for the NY Jets

Joining Saleh’s coaching staff as the Jets defensive coordinator is Jeff Ulbrich. He has spent last season as the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator and has similar defensive philosophies as Saleh.

Among those philosophies are speed and being able to read defenses. They want linebackers who can go sideline-to-sideline with the run game, as well as cover tight ends. Yet, New York barely made any big additions at linebacker this off-season.

Yes, C.J. Mosley returning from seems like a two-year hiatus is huge. The four-time Pro Bowl linebacker is joined by Jarrad Davis, a former first-round pick by the Detroit Lions. Davis spent his first four years with the Lions, but slowly faded in the depth chart and was considered a bust.

Davis now looks to start fresh and has definitely caught the coach’s eyes. Another guy who has done the same is rookie linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen.

The Florida State product was once considered a safety that could go as high as the second round in the draft. Or that was until injuries limited him to two games in 2020, as he slid to the Jets in the sixth round.

At 6’4” and 220-pounds, Nasirildeen has the speed and size that Ulbrich wants at linebacker on his defense. Both Nasirildeen and Jamien Sherwood have switched from safety to linebacker because of their skills.   

The Jets do not have much experience at linebacker, so one would think third-year linebacker Blake Cashman would be the weakside starter. Rather, New York has Nasirildeen listed as the starter thanks to his play with the first-team defense of late.

5. Returners announced by NY Jets

One of the highlights of training camp has been the use of a broom and medicine ball on punt returns. The broom has been used as a distraction trying to catch the ball, as the medicine ball is rolled to force a quick move out of the return man.

Working during training camp with this equipment has been Braxton Berrios, who has held the job the past two seasons. He remains as the first-team punt returner on the first depth chart, but not without any competition.

Behind him is Keelan Cole, a veteran receiver who has experience from his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Being one of the listed first-team receivers likely would eliminate his involvement on returns.

Therefore, making Michael Carter and second-round pick Elijah Moore Berrios’ biggest competition. Carter is a small, shifty back who had a long kick return during the Green & White Scrimmage. Moore, who is an explosive weapon with the ball in his hands, can make anyone miss too.

Outside of kicker, the punt return job is the most entertaining, with kick returner behind it. New York has not had a dynamic return man since Andre Roberts’ Pro Bowl season in 2018. Hopefully, that will change in 2021.

Cornerback Corey Ballentine is the first man up, and rightfully so. Ballentine may have had two returns to the house Saturday night had the whistle not been blown dead at the 45-yard line.

Trailing him are Ty Johnson, receiver Josh Malone, and Carter. All three are viable options for the job, but with the way Ballentine performed Saturday night, he should get the job.