NY Jets news: Post-minicamp 53-man roster predictions

NY Jets linebackers (5):

- C.J. Mosley, Jarrad Davis, Blake Cashman, Hamsah Nasirildeen (R), Jamien Sherwood (R)

The Jets linebacker depth is rather thin, and we really tried to add a sixth linebacker here. But it was simply too difficult to justify giving a roster spot to the likes of Noah Dawkins, Del'Shawn Phillips, or Camilo Eifler without seeing them perform this summer.

The success of this unit could very well come down to the success of C.J. Mosley. Mosley looked like his old self this spring and didn't appear to have lost a step despite missing essentially all of the last two seasons.

If Mosley is even 75 percent of what he was prior to joining the Jets, the team's defense will gain a major boost.

Jarrad Davis is penciled in the starting SAM next to Mosley and will likely serve as Mosley's primary backup at the MIKE if he gets injured.

The real battle is at WILL where the incumbent Blake Cashman will have to hold off rookies Hamsah Nasirildeen and Jamien Sherwood for the starting job.

Cashman missed all of OTAs and minicamp with an injury (no surprise there) and Nasirildeen stepped up and took all of the first-team reps in his place.

Sherwood has the physicality to play strong-side linebacker if need be which is why we could get away with only five linebackers here.

But ideally, the Jets would have better backup plans at both MIKE and SAM. If someone like Dawkins or Phillips impresses this summer, there's a golden opportunity waiting for them in the form of a 53-man roster spot.