10 New York Jets Players Feeling the Most Pressure Heading into Camp

Philip Schawillie — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:25:35 -0400

"Competition through and through" is general manager John Idzik's mantra for the New York Jets' 2013 season. Fighting for one's job is a kind of pressure with which most fans easily identify. However it's only one of the pressures the players in these slides will experience.

The pressures these players face can be categorized as follows:

The shoes they're being asked to fill

The Jets lost half of their 2012 Week 1 starters to salary cap cuts, free agency or trade. Some of them were of Pro Bowl caliber or greater. These players must replace the departed stars and achieve a semblance of their level of play.

Example: S Dawan Landry

The battle of raised expectations

The moves Jets made in free agency and the draft defied nearly everyone's expectations. For example, they did not draft an outside linebacker to bolster the pass rush, even though Georgia's Jarvis Jones was available in the first round. They'll have to rely on their current roster to generate quarterback pressure.

Example: OLB Antwan Barnes

Being a starter by default

These players play a position marked for upgrade but lack the credentials to be considered the long-term solution. They must raise their performance level to that of a competent starter while the window of opportunity is there.

Example: TE Jeff Cumberland

Fighting for a job

Maybe they've been starters but must best a newcomer to keep their jobs. These players aren't battling to keep a roster spot, they're fighting to keep their place on the depth chart.

Example: CB Kyle Wilson

Fighting for a career

Perhaps they were a draft bust. Perhaps they suffered an injury whose long-term effects are uncertain. Perhaps they played their hardest, only to face a challenger who is younger or stronger or more versatile. Whatever the reason, these players are truly "on the bubble," because if they don't meet expectations this time, their Jets career—perhaps even their NFL career—might be over.

Example: G Vladimir Ducasse

Here's a list of Jets players who face some form of pressure in 2013.

SOURCES

Accessing Scouts Inc. links requires a paid subscription to ESPN Insider.
Jets' depth chart: Ourlads.com

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Bleacher Report - Santonio Holmes

10 New York Jets Players Feeling the Most Pressure Heading into Camp