Ranking each NY Jets position group following the 2022 NFL Draft

The NY Jets have been slowly turning this franchise around under the guidance of Joe Douglas, and while the team still has work to do to change their reputation within the league, the 2022 offseason has gone a long way to starting that.

When Douglas took over, there was a lack of top-tier talent and depth on this team, but two and a half years later, this team is loaded with young, hungry talent. If everyone plays to their potential, could be a dark horse playoff team in 2022.

While that may be getting ahead of ourselves, it’s clear that this team has gotten so much better this past offseason, and with no glaring weaknesses, every position has its major strengths.

The 2022 season may not go as planned for Jets fans, but this team is getting much better, and while it’s hard to predict the production of rookies, here is how every Jets position group stacks up after the 2022 NFL Draft.

1. The NY Jets offensive line is its best group

Most Jets fans wouldn’t expect to read this after the Mike Maccaganan days, but Joe Douglas has done a masterful job crafting this line, which could end up being one of the best in all of football.

If healthy, Mekhi Becton makes this line incredibly dangerous, but even without him, a line that boasts Laken Tomlinson, the ever-improving George Fant, and 2021 rookie standout Alijah Vera-Tucker needs to be taken seriously.

The Jets also added a promising, disciplined tackle in Max Mitchell in the draft. If this unit can stay relatively healthy, Zach Wilson, Breece Hall, and Michael Carter will have all the time in the world to do their thing and drag the Jets from the AFC's cellar.

2. The improved NY Jets wide receiver group could be one of the best in the league

In 2021, the Jets fielded a group of wide receivers that were often injured, leading to Zach Wilson struggling with chemistry, but after adding Garrett Wilson in the 2022 draft, this unit is ready to explode.

Second-year player Elijah Moore is primed for a breakout, and with Braxton Berrios, Garrett Wilson, and Corey Davis around, this could be a group that surprises the entire league.

Denzel Mims is also an X-factor, and if the Jets can get any contribution from the much-maligned Baylor product, then this Jets unit should score a lot of points, assuming Zach Wilson can live up to the potential he flashed in 2021.

3. The NY Jets defensive ends are ready to wreak havoc in 2022

The Jets haven’t had a good pass rusher in over a decade, but if Carl Lawson can be anything close to the player he was before his injury, this is a unit that could cause mayhem on opposing QBs in 2022.

The addition of Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson to go along with Bryce Huff, Lawson, and John Franklin-Myers makes this unit very deep, and with Quinnen Williams on the inside, offensive lines will need to be wary.

If this unit can stay healthy and work well in Robert Saleh’s defense, we could be looking at the best Jets unit in 2022. If this team wants to approach anything near the playoffs, they will need to play like the Jets' best unit.

4. All of a sudden the NY Jets have one of the better cornerback groups in the AFC

Heading into the 2022 offseason, the Jets had plenty of work to do, but at no position more than cornerback. By adding D.J. Reed and Sauce Gardner, this has all of a sudden become a huge strength for this young Jets squad.

With Bryce Hall, Javelin Guidry, Brandin Echols, and Michael Carter II making up the rest of the group, this unit is one that is young, hungry, and full of depth. They’ll need to be great for the Jets to succeed in 2022.

The AFC East is stacked with wide receivers such as Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs, and it seems every team in the NFL now has at least one, if not two major threats. If the Jets can neutralize this in 2022, they may have a chance at a wild card spot.

5. The defensive line of the NY Jets has the potential to be great

While the Jets are going to be getting after the quarterback in 2022, the interior of the defensive line will be great as well, as many are predicting a true, star-making season from Quinnen Williams.

The team may have lost one of their best run-stoppers in Foley Fatukasi, but with the extra help and attention needing to be paid to the edge, this should open up plenty of opportunities for the likes of Williams and Sheldon Rankins.

If the three defensive units already on this list can show up in 2022, the three most important in a Robert Saleh-coached defense, the Jets could be very dangerous. That all rests on stars like Quinnen Williams to take the next step.

6. After adding more talent in the draft, this NY Jets running back room is stacked with potential

As if adding Michael Carter in the 2021 draft wasn’t enough, Joe Douglas backed it up in 2022 by adding Breece Hall making this potentially one of the most formidable 1-2 combinations in the entire NFL.

On top of those two names, the Jets also have Tevin Coleman, meaning this unit can survive injuries. If healthy, we could be looking at one of the most successful running back duos in Jets' history.

Those are lofty expectations, but Hall and Carter are both complete backs with plenty of confidence, and if every other offensive unit plays to their potential, this could be the one that outshines all of the rest.

7. Quarterback is the most important unit for the NY Jets in 2022

While the Jets have improved plenty this offseason, the progression within the upcoming season all rests on the shoulders of No. 2, who showed plenty of potential in an overall disappointing 2021 campaign.

Joe Flacco is back to mentor Zach Wilson, but if the team wants to make the strides that the fans can see happening, the BYU product needs to step up, shut out all the noise, and simply perform.

If Wilson can get anywhere near his potential in 2022, this team has a chance to put up a lot of points and win some games, but until he can prove it on the field, there are still deeper and more proven units on this Jets squad.

8. Tight end is the most improved position for the NY Jets heading into 2022

Jets fans have been begging this organization to develop and improve the tight end spot for years, and while it took Joe Douglas some time, he completely overhauled the position this past offseason.

Instead of sitting through Ryan Griffin as tight end No. 1 all season, the Jets fans can now appreciate C.J. Uzomah, Tyler Conklin, and rookie Jeremy Ruckert — a group that could help Zach Wilson fulfill his immense potential.

While none will hit the 1,000-yard mark alone, as a group, this team could do some serious damage. With such depth, the unit is strong enough to finally give the Jets a balanced and very dangerous air and ground attack.

9. Safety is an improved but not yet complete position for the NY Jets

A few years ago, the Jets had a great pair of homegrown safeties, but following the 2021 campaign, they were very light at the back end of the secondary. And while the addition of Jordan Whitehead is an improvement, they’ve still got a ways to go.

With Lamarcus Joyner, Ashtyn Davis, and other depth pieces alongside Whitehead, this could be a talented group that surprises everyone, but at this rate, safety comes in as arguably the Jets' biggest need in 2023.

We heard for years that Joe Douglas wasn’t going to pay top-tier money for a safety, and if he can continue drafting well alongside Whitehead, we could see a very solid, if not effective group on game day.

10. Linebacker is a spot the NY Jets will need to seriously improve on in 2022

The Jets were confident that overpaying C.J. Mosley would have taken them back to the playoffs back in 2019, but injuries derailed that. Now, Mosley is being asked to lead a relatively inexperienced linebacker corps with immense pressure.

The current group alongside Mosley is highlighted by Hamsah Nasrildeen, Jamien Sherwood, and Quincy Williams, and it looks like Robert Saleh is relying very, very heavily on his line getting to the QB.

We aren’t going to see poor play week after week from this group, but it’s unlikely they will be a standout on defense for this Jets team, as most fans are looking for the group to simply hold their own while everyone else does their work.

11. Kicker is a spot the NY Jets may finally feel comfortable with

Ever since the Jets let Jason Myers walk in free agency, the team has seemed doomed to the idea of ever finding a good, consistent kicker again. But 2022 might finally be the year to change that.

With incumbent Eddy Piniero battling free agent veteran signing Greg Zuerlein, there is a sense of great competition as the Jets head into training camp. It could be either man that comes out on top.

No matter who wins the job, Jets fans can finally feel comfortable and confident that their team has a kicker that can consistently do the job week in, week out. But until it’s proven, this spot is way down the list on the Jets hierarchy.

12. The NY Jets have a solid, unspectacular punter

While the punter position is often disrespected way more than it should be, the simple fact is that it’s not a spectacular position. But the Jets feel confident that Braden Mann can do the job for them yet again in 2022.

With a great punter, teams can help control field position with a lot more confidence, and while Mann is far from the best punter in the game, most believe he won’t lose the Jets any games through consistently poor stretches.

In previous days, punter may have been the last thing on the front office’s mind, but after covering up so many holes this offseason, punter may be a position that comes more into focus. For now, Mann is the guy, and we should all be confident in that.