The NY Jets are one day away from kicking off their 2024 preseason with a game against the Washington Commanders. The Jets are hoping to set the tone this summer for what promises to be one of the most important seasons in recent franchise history.
Aaron Rodgers is back and the Jets look primed to make a push for the postseason and perhaps beyond. But while much of the roster is already set in stone, there are a few roster spots and overall roles up for grabs.
The remaining few weeks of the summer, more specifically the preseason, will be used to determine which players are deserving of those spots. For the following four players on our list, the preseason will be a crucial time to prove their worth to the organization.
From roster bubble players to those trying to carve out larger roles, let’s take a look at four Jets players under a lot of pressure to perform in the preseason.
4. Will McDonald, DE, NY Jets
Will McDonald may not be fighting for a roster spot like the others on this list, but he does have plenty to prove this summer. The 2023 first-round pick is hoping to expand his role following a rookie season that saw him play fewer snaps than any Jets rookie first-round pick since Vernon Gholston.
On paper, McDonald should be in line for an uptick in playing time. Bryce Huff and John Franklin-Myers are gone, and even though the team brought in Haason Reddick in the offseason, there will still be some snaps to fill.
McDonald got off to a quiet start this summer and has almost exclusively worked with the backups, but he’s coming off an impressive showing during Thursday’s joint practice. He’s hoping to carry over that momentum into Saturday’s preseason opener.
A strong showing in the preseason would go a long way toward proving that McDonald deserves a larger role on defense moving forward. The former Iowa State star still has a lot to prove.
3. Jason Brownlee, WR, NY Jets
The battle for the final one or two roster spots at the bottom of the Jets’ wide receiver depth chart will be fierce this summer, and one player who needs to impress in the preseason to earn a spot is Jason Brownlee.
The 2023 undrafted free agent made the Jets’ roster as a rookie due in part to his impressive performance in the preseason. One year later, he needs to put together a similar preseason to save his roster spot.
Brownlee is competing with the likes of Irvin Charles and Malik Taylor (among others) for what very well could be one roster spot. Charles is a special-teams ace and Taylor was used a little on special teams when active last season. Brownlee doesn’t offer that same special-teams versatility.
That means that Brownlee will have to earn his roster spot basely solely on his contributions on offense. He needs to prove to the Jets that he’s worth keeping around as a developmental X receiver despite his limited role. That starts in the preseason.
2. Takkarist McKinley, DE, NY Jets
Few Jets players have done more to improve their stock this summer than Takkarist McKinley. The seven-year NFL veteran signed with the Jets following a successful tryout during minicamp and has been one of the team’s most active players on either side of the ball in training camp.
McKinley has dominated the Jets’ second and third-team offensive lines in practice, racking up six sacks over his first three practices of the summer. A recent injury has sidelined him for a few practices, but the hope is that he will return to the field soon.
Despite his strong start to the summer, McKinley is going to have to prove that his training camp dominance isn’t just a fluke. He’s going to have to impress in the preseason as well if he’s going to earn a roster spot in a talented defensive line.
McKinley hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2022, but he has an opportunity to secure a role in a loaded defensive line unit with an impressive performance in the preseason.
1. Israel Abanikanda, RB, NY Jets
Israel Abanikanda is fighting for not only his roster spot but his NFL future this summer. The former fifth-round pick played sparingly as a rookie in 2023, appearing in just six games and failing to impress when given the opportunity.
The additions of Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis this offseason have plummeted Abanikanda down the depth chart, and right now, there’s a good chance he’s on the outside of the roster bubble looking in.
Abanikanda is going to be given plenty of opportunities this preseason to prove that he’s worth keeping around on the active roster for another year. His lack of special-teams versatility isn’t doing him any favors, which is why he needs to impress with his reps on offense.
The Jets’ coaching staff has quickly fallen out of favor with the former Pittsburgh standout, but he has one final chance to prove his worth and solidify his roster spot. The preseason could be the last chance to salvage his Jets career.
