The New York Jets made some key additions so far this off-season, but if they want to remain competitive, these youngsters need to breakout.
By Jeff Jarboe
With limited cap space, New York Jets GM Mike Maccagnan managed to sign running backs Matt Forte and Khiry Robinson, as well as former Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Steve McLendon to multi-year, team friendly deals. Maccagnan was also able to bring back fan favorites Bilal Powell (3-years/$11.25m) and Muhammad Wilkerson ($15.7m franchise tag) in the process.
These signings came shortly after the team lost several of their starters on both sides of the ball–nose tackle Damon Harrison, who signed with the New York Giants; running back Chris Ivory, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars; and linebacker DeMario Davis, who signed with the Cleveland Browns.
While the additions of Forte, Robinson and McLendon will certainly help fill the voids left by Ivory and Harrison, they can’t do it alone. Forte and McLendon both just hit the 30-year-old mark, which is typically the age at which most NFL players begin declining in production (excluding quarterbacks and kickers/punters), so if this team is going to maintain the high level of production they had last season, they’re going to need some of their younger players to step up.
Based on the way the roster looks right now, here are five players who are in the best position for a breakout season in 2016:
1. Bilal Powell, RB
Jets fans should be happy with the Forte and Robinson signings, but they should be ecstatic about the Powell re-signing. After a very promising 2015 season, Powell elected not to sign with division rivals New England and Buffalo, and instead return to New York on a three-year, $11.25 million contract.
With Ivory gone, Powell is now the longest tenured Jet running back and has a year of Chan Gailey’s offense under his belt. As a third-down back in Gailey’s offense last season, Powell hauled in a career high 47 passes for 388 yards and two touchdowns. In total, he collected 701 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on just 133 touches (5.27 yards per touch).
Forte will likely be the starter when training camp is all said and done, but I would not be surprised if Powell ends up seeing more touches at the end of the year. In fact, we may even see both players on the field with Powell lining up in the backfield and Forte at slot receiver.
As of now, however, only one thing is for certain: Bilal Powell is the most explosive running back this team has. When Chris Ivory began to regress in the second half of last season, Powell was by far the most explosive player this team had on offense. He showed great vision and burst running the ball, and was even more of a threat as a receiver.
With Ivory now out of the picture, Powell figures to see a lot more touches and a lot more opportunities to prove he’s worth the money.
2. Leonard Williams, DL
The second-most obvious candidate for a breakout season in 2016: Leonard Williams.
Jets fans were puzzled and excited when their team selected Williams with the sixth overall pick in the draft last season–excited because the 300-pound defensive lineman fell to the sixth pick, and puzzled because well, they didn’t really need him.
New York already had a trio of outstanding defensive lineman with Wilkerson, Harrison and Sheldon Richardson at the time, but with Harrison now gone, Williams is in-store for a full-time starting role in 2016 and a chance to breakout as one of the league’s top interior defensive lineman.
Though his primary strength is against the run, Williams impressed in his ability to rush the passer during his rookie season, an area in which he was criticized coming out of the draft.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams registered 30 QB hurries, 19 hits and four sacks as a pass rusher in 2015.
Playing alongside Wilkerson and Richardson, both of whom have already established themselves as elite interior pass rushers, will only provide the 21-year-old Williams with more one-on-one opportunities on passing downs as they draw double teams from opposing offensive linemen.
3. Jace Amaro, TE
Remember this guy?
One of the few remaining players left from John Idzik’s 2014 draft, a second-round pick, who missed all of 2015 with a broken collarbone and who’s the only option this team has at the tight end position right now.
That is why Amaro is a breakout candidate–because he’s the only talented tight end this team has right now (no offense Zac Sudfeld, you’re just not that good). The question is whether the third-year player can bounce back strong from his injury and avoid being officially labeled as a bust.
He certainly has a lot of work to do this off-season if he’s going to earn his place on Todd Bowles‘ roster–Bowles and Maccagnan didn’t draft him, so they have no loyalty to him–but his compatibility with Chan Gailey’s spread offense can’t be denied. Amaro’s skills as a receiver and above average speed at the tight end spot make him a perfect fit alongside Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker in this passing offense.
In his rookie season the former Red Raider caught 38 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns. He showed glimpses of good route-running and an ability to gain yards after the catch, but he also dropped a lot of passes and was sub-par as a blocker.
Again, Amaro has a lot to prove to the new coaching staff and the new front office, but right now he’s the only option this team has at tight end and he still has loads of potential. If he puts the work in and earns his spot on this roster, Amaro could be another lethal weapon for the Jets passing game alongside Marshall, Decker and Quincy Enunwa.
4. Lorenzo Mauldin IV, OLB
Mauldin was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the 2015 season for the Jets, because he was a much more effective pass rusher than they could have imagined. Drafted in the third round last year, Mauldin’s pass rushing skills were heavily scrutinized and he was labeled as still “very raw” in that area of his game.
After training camp however, Bowles apparently felt confident enough in his rookie outside backer to use him as a situational pass rusher and the 23-year-old finished with four sacks and one fumble recovery on the year. According to Kim Martin of Newsday Sports, Todd Bowles said at the owners meeting in Boca Raton, Fla., that he’s expecting Mauldin to make a “big jump” in year two and he’s looking for him to be a “major player” this upcoming season.
The Jets have a void at both outside linebacker positions–the team released Quinton Coples midway through the season, which is one of the main reasons Mauldin saw the field in 2015; while Calvin Pace‘s contract is up once again, and it’s unclear whether the team wants him to return for another season.
New York will surely target an outside linebacker in the early rounds of the draft but Mauldin’s a fighter, so whoever they draft, you can expect Mauly Maul to compete his tail off to earn his playing time.
5. Devin Smith, WR
One characteristic that makes Mike Maccagnan different from Jets GM’s of the past is he doesn’t go for the home-run draft pick or free agent signing. He’s not reaching for a quarterback in the early rounds, nor is he overpaying for a pass rusher in free agency. Maccagnan’s philosophy when it comes to the draft specifically, is to draft players who can improve the team now and who have the potential to carry the team in the future.
That is why the trio of Leonard Williams, Devin Smith and Lorenzo Mauldin are on this list–because they were drafted with the belief that they can help this team improve now. With Marshall, Decker, Enunwa, Powell and now Forte and Robinson, the Jets have a solid foundation of weapons for a quarterback (whoever that may end up being) to step in and run Chan Gailey’s offense. The only thing the offense is missing is a deep ball threat.
Devin Smith can be the deep-ball threat for this offense as long as he remains healthy. Last season, he did not. Smith tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 14 against Tennessee, just as he was beginning to grasp the offense and become acclimated to the speed of the NFL.
The road to recovery is always a long one, especially when dealing with a torn ACL. However, if Smith’s knee heals and he’s able to bulk up a bit this off-season, he will be the leading candidate for the fourth wide receiver spot with Jeremy Kerley now out of the picture.
Of course, Maccagnan could draft another receiver this April depending on how the draft board lays out, but right now Devin Smith is the best option for that fourth wide receiver spot and he has all of the skills to be the deep ball threat this offense needs.