Projecting New York Jets' Most Heated Roster Battles This Offseason

The pieces are in place, and now, it's time for them to fall into order.

The New York Jets spent a lot of time and resources improving their roster this offseason. From defensive line to cornerback to running back to guard, the Jets have done a tremendous job of upgrading their roster at multiple positions. 

The question is how those additions will pan out. Which players will end up contributing from the beginning, and which players will have to wait their turn to get onto the field?

In some cases, it's clear. Cornerback Darrelle Revis isn't going to wait for anyone. He's a lock to start from Day 1. Rookie guard Jarvis Harrison, on the other hand, is assured of nothing in terms of starting.

Training-camp battles will help provide some clarity where it is currently lacking. Here's a ranking of the most important camp battles for the Jets this offseason, with projected winners for each.

5. Outside Linebacker

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Winners: Quinton Coples, Lorenzo Mauldin

The Jets have been searching for young, athletic pass-rushing outside linebackers for years. Now, they finally have a pair they can count on. 

Quinton Coples has slowly begun to show signs of the potential that made him the No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 draft, and after notching 6.5 sacks in the 2014 season, he may develop into their best pass-rusher with time.

The bigger question is whether the Jets will go with veteran Calvin Pace or rookie Lorenzo Mauldin on the other side. At 34 years old, Pace's best days are clearly in the rear-view mirror, but if he gives the Jets the best chance to win, he has to be the guy for the job. The question is, is he the best man for the job?

At this point, it may be Mauldin, who has a similar skill set to Pace (not explosive as a pass-rusher, stout at the point of attack in the running game, capable in spot duty in coverage) but is 12 years younger than Pace. 

4. Guard

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Winners: James Carpenter, Oday Aboushi

This position is kind of a mess for the Jets right now. Former Seattle Seahawks guard James Carpenter has been a starter on a Super Bowl champion team, and one that ran the ball for more yards over the past three years than any other team in the NFL. 

Assuming he is a fit for the Jets' scheme, Carpenter should get the nod as one of the two starting guards.

The other spot is where things get a little tricky. Willie Colon is a veteran with nine years of experience in the NFL, and he has started at right guard in all 16 games for the Jets over the past two seasons. With a new regime in place, though, his past may not count for much in the final decision.

Upon entering the NFL in 2013, Brian Winters was moved to guard after spending his entire college career at tackle. The experiment has not been fruitful.

Oday Aboushi was Winters' replacement following a season-ending injury, and while he performed admirably, it wasn't good enough to keep the Jets from sniffing around the talented but controversial Texas A&M guard Jarvis Harrison, whose motivation has been called into question.

For now, we'll say Aboushi is the starter because of his experience in 2014, along with his upside. 

3. Running Back

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Winner: Chris Ivory

Let's not overthink this one. Yes, there are plenty of capable running backs on the Jets' roster. Yes, some of them have nearly as much experience as Ivory. But Ivory has been the best running back to suit up for the Jets since Curtis Martin.

Ivory has been a big part of a rotation for the Jets in his first two years with the team, with 380 carries for 1,654 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and nine rushing touchdowns. The Jets have curiously tried to split the carries evenly between Ivory and a complementary back.

In 2013, it was Bilal Powell, who averaged only four yards per carry to Ivory's 4.6. In 2014, it was Chris Johnson, who averaged 4.3 yards per carry on the season but averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry in only seven of 16 games.

Stevan Ridley is coming off reconstructive ACL surgery. Zac Stacy is a between-the-tackles hammer who has never averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry in a season. Powell was underused in 2014, but not to the extent that he should be considered a starter.

Between Ridley, Stacy and Powell, the Jets have plenty of backs who can complement Ivory, but none who can supplant him as the go-to workhorse in the backfield. 

2. Defensive Line

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Winners: Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams

It's not feasible for the Jets to get all of their talented linemen on the field at the same time. Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams could play the defensive end spots in a four-man line with Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison manning the middle, but while that lineup is tough enough for run defense, it may not be quick enough on passing downs. 

Thus, at some point, someone's going to have to sit on the bench. Unless the Jets find a way to move Wilkerson via trade before the season starts, it's most likely that he, Richardson and Williams will find themselves playing a majority of the snaps. Not to take anything away from Harrison, but his strong suit is as a pure nose tackle against the run.

In that respect, Harrison could have a sizable role, since the Jets will most likely find themselves running a base 3-4 defense this season. That being said, the Jets won't have room for all four on the field all the time, even when a four-man line is the base defense in a particular game (Todd Bowles is known to switch it up from week to week). 

1. Quarterback

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Winner: Geno Smith

Ryan Fitzpatrick will not go down without a fight. His experience in Chan Gailey's offensive system would give him a leg up if he weren't dealing with a leg injury he suffered last year. He should be good to go for training camp, but there's also no reason Geno Smith can't win the job outright. 

Smith's athleticism and ability to throw in rhythm are a perfect fit for Gailey's spread offense, which calls for short and intermediate throws from its quarterbacks operating out of the pistol formation. 

Smith had the look of a competent passer in the final four games of the 2014 season, notching 71 completions on 109 attempts (65.1 percent) for 1,001 yards (9.1 yards per attempt), six touchdowns, two interceptions and a 105.3 passer rating. With an improved group of pass-catchers and a coordinator who can adapt the offense to Smith's skill set, this could be the best season of Smith's young career.

That being said, it's also his third season in the league, and if he doesn't show clear signs of improvement, it could be time to move in another direction.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release.