NY Jets S Ashtyn Davis expected to be a part of final roster cuts

The NY Jets are going to have to make some difficult roster decisions within the next week, and one of those decisions pertains to third-year safety Ashtyn Davis.

A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Davis has spent the last two seasons looking to carve out a role in the Jets' defense. He's fallen well short of expectations to this point, however.

Davis is currently hoping to secure a spot on the Jets' 53-man roster, but that's far from a guarantee. In fact, it seems as though Davis may be on the outside looking in.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported on Thursday that Davis "doesn't feel long for the roster" after a summer in which he's been "invisible." His primary competition is Will Parks who has "outplayed his counterpart," per Rosenblatt.

Don't be surprised if Ashtyn Davis doesn't make the NY Jets roster

When the Jets drafted Davis a few years ago, they knew they were adding a player who had all the physical traits to be a star in this league. They were also aware of just how raw he was as an overall talent.

Davis was a speeding bullet with ample athleticism and rare physical traits, but he was a project. The hope was that he could sit behind Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye and refine his skills while he developed.

Evidently, none of that went to plan.

Adams was shipped to Seattle before the season started and Maye would depart this past offseason. Meanwhile, injuries forced Davis into action early in his career, and he looked unprepared and overwhelmed.

Davis' NFL career has been a bit of a rollercoaster to this point. The COVID-19 pandemic robbed him of a true offseason as a rookie and a foot injury kept him sidelined for his entire second summer in the league.

There was optimism that Davis would take advantage of his first full offseason in 2022 and the early reports out of minicamp and OTAs were promising. However, as Rosenblatt indicated, once the pads came on, Davis became invisible.

At the same time, veteran Will Parks has continued to make plays this summer and has certainly played his way onto the Jets' roster. Parks is far from an unproven commodity either.

The 28-year-old started two games down the stretch for the Jets last season and he played well. He has over 75 career games under his belt and 20 starts dating back to his time as a key role player for the Denver Broncos.

It's clear that Parks is the better player right now. If the Jets have to make a choice between him and Davis, the decision should be clear.