One NY Jets player at every position to watch in preseason Week 1

The NY Jets enter the 2024 preseason with one of the most talented and stacked rosters the organization has boasted in years. But that doesn't mean there aren't still spots up for grabs this summer.

The next few weeks will help determine which players toward the bottom of the Jets roster stick around and which players are sent packing. The preseason will be the primary determining factor for many.

With the Jets just hours away from kicking off their preseason in a matchup with the Washington Commanders, we take a look at one player at every position you should be watching in today's game.

Andrew Peasley, QB, NY Jets

Aaron Rodgers isn't playing and rookie quarterback Jordan Travis remains on the active/NFI list. It's also unlikely the Jets play veteran Tyrod Taylor much in this game. That leaves two young quarterbacks, Andrew Peasley and Adrian Martinez, to receive most of the snaps in this one.

Martinez is the reigning UFL MVP, but he's working behind Peasley, who has been with the team since the spring. The former Wyoming standout is an experienced college quarterback who has a chance to stick around on the Jets' practice squad.

Peasley and Martinez are essentially competing for the Jets' QB3 job until Travis is ready to return. Today's game should go a long way toward determining who has the edge in this competition. Expect Peasley to get plenty of opportunities to impress.

Israel Abanikanda, RB, NY Jets

Israel Abanikanda is fighting for his NFL future this preseason. The former fifth-round pick has found himself plummeting down the depth chart and is desperately in need of a strong summer to save his job.

Rookies Braelon Allen Isaiah Davis will likely receive the bulk of the work early on, but Abanikanda needs to impress when given the opportunity. He's currently competing with the likes of Xazavian Valladay and the recently signed Deon Jackson for the Jets' RB4 role.

Few players are more desperate for a strong showing in the preseason than this man. Today's game will be crucial for Abanikanda.

Jason Brownlee, WR, NY Jets

This could have easily been Jets rookie third-round pick Malachi Corley, but we're instead going to focus on the battle for the final one or two roster spots at the bottom of the team's wide receiver depth chart.

No wide receiver on the roster needs a strong showing in the preseason more than Jason Brownlee. The former UDFA isn't going to make the team due to his special-teams prowess like Irvin Charles and he doesn't have history with Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett like Malik Taylor.

Instead, Brownlee needs to prove to the Jets that he's worth keeping around over his competition. An impressive performance in today's preseason opener would go a long way.

Jeremy Ruckert, TE, NY Jets

Jeremy Ruckert isn't fighting for a roster spot like many of the others on this list, but it should be interesting to monitor his progress this summer. The Jets are expecting him to take on a large role in 2024.

Ruckert assumed the primary TE2 job midseason in 2023 and saw quite a bit of action as the season progressed. The Jets are hoping Ruckert can become a regular part of their offense this season with the potential to take over as a starter in 2025.

The Long Island native should receive plenty of first-half snaps as he looks to show the Jets that he's ready for a larger role.

Olu Fashanu, OT, NY Jets

The Jets don't expect their first-round pick in this year's draft to play much as a rookie, at least if all goes according to plan. That means whatever reps Olu Fashanu receives in the preseason are even more significant.

Fashanu has held his own this summer, rotating in with the first-team offense whenever Tyron Smith has been held out of practice. Smith likely isn't going to play in today's preseason opener, meaning the rookie should receive the start at left tackle.

The Commanders have a talented defensive line with ample depth, providing an important challenge for Fashanu in his first NFL game.

Will McDonald, DE, NY Jets

The Jets are counting on Will McDonald to assume a larger role in his second NFL season. Following a slow start to the summer, McDonald has come on in recent days, including a dominant performance in Thursday's joint practice.

He'll look to carry over that momentum into today's preseason game where he should have the opportunity to match up with many of the offensive tackles he was routinely beating on Thursday.

The Jets may not be happy with McDonald's weight and do still have concerns about his run defense, but a strong showing in the preseason could convince the team to give him more snaps come Week 1.

Jamien Sherwood, LB, NY Jets

Jamien Sherwood is quietly one of the most improved players on the Jets' roster. While Sherwood doesn't get to play much behind C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams, the former college safety has steadily improved over the last few years and impressed when given the opportunity.

Sherwood was one of the Jets' most notable standouts in the 2023 preseason, and he'll have another opportunity to prove his worth again. There's an outside chance that Sherwood is auditioning for a starting job in 2025.

Qwan'tez Stiggers, CB, NY Jets

Qwan'tez Stiggers never played in a college football game. He was playing semi-pro ball just two years ago and starring in the CFL last year. Today's game will be his first opportunity to play at the highest level.

Stiggers has looked the part this summer, proving that he can play at the NFL level despite his lack of experience. But none of that really matters until he proves he can do it in an actual game.

Expect Stiggers to receive plenty of reps in the first half and possibly even start the game. Much like Sherwood, Stiggers could be auditioning for a starting job next year.

Jaylen Key, S, NY Jets

This year's Mr. Irrelevant pick is already fighting an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster. Four safeties — Chuck Clark, Tony Adams, Ashtyn Davis, and Isaiah Oliver — are already locked into roster spots, meaning Jaylen Key will have to really impress the coaching staff if he wants to make the team.

That all starts in today's preseason game. Key needs to convince the Jets to carry an extra safety, possibly beating out someone like Jarrick Bernard-Converse for a roster spot. Today's game should be a strong indicator of his roster chances.

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