Envisioning New York Jets' Starting Lineup for 2015 Season
The New York Jets must sort out nine different position groups on offense and defense before the start of the 2015 regular season. The outcome of one of those positions, and the performance of the person who wins the job, could have an immeasurable impact on the other eight.
Even after an offseason in which the Jets stockpiled the roster with talent on both offense and defense, there's still a question mark at the biggest position: quarterback.
The Jets' new regime has taken some measures at the position, but any time a new head coach and new general manager are settling into new colors, there are going to be changes all over the place. The Jets clearly targeted two positions to make the most dramatic changes: cornerback and wide receiver. Through trading for Brandon Marshall and drafting Ohio State's Devin Smith at wide receiver and signing free agents Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine at cornerback, the Jets completed their mission.
But those aren't the only positions where the Jets could be going through some changes.
Quarterback
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Starter: Geno Smith
At least for the time being, Geno Smith has a leg-up on the competition—and that's not a bad joke about the broken leg that's keeping Ryan Fitzpatrick out of practice. Yes, Fitzpatrick's absence from the field gives Smith the decided advantage in winning over the coaching staff, but it also gives Smith an opportunity to completely ruin their perception of him—after all, this is not the same regime that drafted him in the second round.
This regime took Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty in the fourth round, and while the rookie may not be ready to start right away, the Jets may be looking at a quarterback who could develop into a starter down the line. He may not get much game experience to learn how to attack an NFL defense, but he will get plenty of experience in practice against Todd Bowles' defense.
With Petty's lack of experience in the NFL and Fitzpatrick's current inactive status, Smith is the front-runner. For now.
Running Back
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Starter: Chris Ivory
The Jets may not have many answers when it comes time to put in a running back for the passing game, but their options are abundant when it comes to a between-the-tackles back with a hard-nosed style of running.
The front-runner among those backs would have to be Chris Ivory, who has carried the ball 380 times for 1,654 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns in the past two seasons. Ivory has a bulldozing style and notched an extra 2.11 yards after contact per rush attempt, according to Pro Football Focus. He is also sneaky quick and caused 44 missed tackles as a rusher in 2014 (tied fourth-most in the NFL).
The Jets also have good backs to spell him off the bench, with Stevan Ridley, Zac Stacy and Bilal Powell all offering a similar (though less dynamic) skill set.
Wide Receiver
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Starters: Brandon Marshall (X receiver), Eric Decker (Z receiver), Jeremy Kerley (slot)
Who would have thought two years ago, when Stephen Hill and Santonio Holmes were still key players in the Jets' passing game, that we'd be talking about the wide receiver position as a strength headed into the 2015 season?
The emergence of Jeremy Kerley in the slot, the signing of Eric Decker, the trades for Brandon Marshall and DeVier Posey and the second-round selection of Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith have given the Jets more than enough receivers to execute a spread offense like the one Chan Gailey will want to run.
If anything, the Jets may find it difficult to get all their receivers onto the field.
When the Jets come onto the field with three receivers to start, though, Marshall, Decker and Kerley offer a diverse skill set that makes for the best trio. Kerley's quickness out of the slot, Decker's long speed and size (6'3", 214 lbs), and Marshall's size (6'4", 230 lbs) and hands make them a complementary trio of receivers unlike any the Jets have had in recent years.
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Tight End
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Starter: Jeff Cumberland
With a new offensive coordinator in Chan Gailey, perhaps the Jets new coaching staff sees things differently than the old one. That being said, it's not a coincidence that Jeff Cumberland was on the field more often as a blocker than as a receiver, and that the opposite held true for 2014 rookie Jace Amaro.
According to Pro Football Focus, Cumberland played 438 snaps as a run-blocker and only 381 as a receiver; Amaro, on the other hand, played 254 as a receiver and 111 as a run-blocker. Cumberland is a better blocker than Amaro, so it stands to reason that he would be the starter; his presence on the field would force a defense to respect both the run and the pass on first down out of the gate.
At 6'5" and 265 pounds, Amaro has the frame to block, but his technique and awareness need work. If he can show that he's improved as a blocker during training camp, he could usurp Cumberland for the starting spot at tight end. For now, Cumberland's ability to do more than Amaro should earn him the nod.
Offensive Line
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Starters: D'Brickashaw Ferguson (LT), James Carpenter (LG), Nick Mangold (C), Oday Aboushi (RG), Breno Giacomini (RT)
The Jets made no changes at offensive tackle, but they've taken multiple shots at the board by signing free-agent James Carpenter and drafting Jarvis Harrison in the fifth round. They already had youngsters Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi on the roster and competing for starting jobs last year, and they also re-signed veteran Willie Colon to another one-year deal.
Colon has been the starting right guard for the past two years, but that doesn't mean anything to a new coaching staff—especially not given his low-risk deal of only $950,000. Aboushi filled in well at the left guard spot when Winters went down with an injury last year and could earn the job on the right side now that the Jets have added Carpenter, who was a left guard with the Seattle Seahawks.
Winters could also be a factor in the battle to start, but if his previous performance is any indication (he graded 65th out of 78 guards in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus), he may not be the best fit. Harrison has starter potential and was graded as such by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein despite concerns around his motivation, but the rookie will have an uphill battle against so many players with starting experience.
For now, the nod goes to Aboushi, who could develop into a serviceable starter at right guard. A training camp battle, however, may tell a different story.
Defensive Line
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Starters: Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison
It's tough picking out just three starters on this defensive line. The Jets have one of the deepest, most talented defensive lines in all of football.
Sheldon Richardson had a dominant rookie season in 2013, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, and followed it up with another strong season in 2014. He is a fixture on the defensive line, regardless of what scheme the Jets are in.
Muhammad Wilkerson is embroiled in a contract dispute with the Jets, which could lead to his exit and allow the No. 6 overall selection in 2015, Leonard Williams, to slide in as a starter in Week 1. For now, though, his importance to the 3-4 scheme is too great to simply allow him to sit on the bench.
Damon Harrison is the most well-suited for the nose tackle spot; the 6'4", 350-pound monster has the gap-stuffing skill set to dominate the interior in a 3-4 front, demanding two or three blockers at a time, but also the quickness to execute gap-penetration responsibilities in other fronts if need be.
Quinton Coples has played a lot of outside linebacker for the Jets lately, but he could also factor into the lineup as a starter on the line. He lined up as a 5-technique at times in place of Wilkerson in 2014 and performed well in those spots.
Linebacker
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Starters: Quinton Coples (OLB), Lorenzo Mauldin (OLB), DeMario Davis (ILB), David Harris (ILB)
The Jets continue to maintain consistency at inside linebacker with DeMario Davis and David Harris resuming their starting roles.
The Jets have been in need of a young, athletic outside linebacker for years and finally found one in Louisville's Lorenzo Mauldin in the third round of the 2015 draft. He isn't an explosive pass-rusher, but he can hold the edge and will be a nice young replacement for Calvin Pace, who should be relegated to a supplementary role at this point in his 12-year career.
Quinton Coples has slowly begun to show the potential to become the player the Jets wanted him to be when they drafted him No. 16 overall, and he could shine as a pass-rusher in Todd Bowles' defense. Between Coples and Mauldin, the team has a pair of edge defenders who can put their hand in the dirt in a 4-3 or rush the passer from a two-point stance in a 3-4.
Cornerback
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Starters: Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine
There's really no point in even discussing this.
The Jets brought in Darrelle Revis to be the No. 1 shutdown corner he's always been—the one he was for them when Rex Ryan first came onto the scene in 2009 and the one that he was for the New England Patriots last year on their way to a Super Bowl victory.
New York brought back Antonio Cromartie to be his sidekick, the perfect complement as a lanky, boundary defender on the other side of the field to take away bigger, more physical receivers. He may have begun to fall off a bit in 2013 (100.7 passer rating, per PFF), but he rebounded under Todd Bowles with the Arizona Cardinals in 2014 (74.9 passer rating) and is still worthy of a starting nod.
The Jets signed Buster Skrine almost immediately when the free-agency period began, a sign that they coveted him for what he can do in the slot, where he lined up most frequently with the Cleveland Browns.
With three simple moves, the Jets went from "unstable" to "locked up" at all three cornerback spots.
Safety
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Starters: Marcus Gilchrist (FS), Calvin Pryor (SS)
For some reason, the Jets think they can piece together a defensive backfield with two strong safeties and no true free safety.
Last year, rookie strong safety Calvin Pryor was forced to play free safety due to the team's lack of any other competent players for the position. The Jets signed former San Diego Chargers strong safety Marcus Gilchrist in response to their dire need for a free safety, and their goal is for Pryor to return to strong safety and Gilchrist to slide over to the free safety spot.
One problem: Gilchrist has never allowed lower than a 97.8 passer rating into his coverage. He's a much better fit at strong safety, where the Jets can work around his struggles in coverage.
Unless otherwise noted, all advanced statistics provided by ProFootballFocus.com.
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