Gary Hershorn, AP

Now that the fun of the NFL Draft is officially over, we take a hard look at what the New York Jets will be throwing on the field in 2016.

By Robby Sabo

Finally, it’s time to look forward to 2016.

If free agency in early March signals the very beginning of the offseason, then the NFL Draft marks the end. Once Mr. Irrelevant is snagged by the final team and undrafted players sign on the dotted line for their respective squads, the next season is the new target.

For the first time since a season ago, fans of all 32 NFL teams can now understand what their team will look like once it hits the field in early September.

While, of course, these rosters aren’t complete, it’s the very first step to completion. It’s as close as you’re going to get before giddiness officially sinks in.

As far as the New York Jets are concerned, they, much like the other 31 NFL franchises, fall into that “almost complete” category. That is, with one critical exception.

Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned, making their quarterback situation extremely murky.

Despite that one minor inconvenience, the Jets roster can now finally be evaluated for the 2016 season.

New York Jets 2016 Draft Selections:

  • Round 1, Overall 20: Darron Lee, LB (Ohio State)
  • Round 2, Overall 51: Christian Hackenberg, QB (Penn State)
  • Round 3, Overall 83: Jordan Jenkins, OLB (Georgia)
  • Round 4, Overall 118: Juston Burris, CB (NC State)
  • Round 5, Overall 158: Brandon Shell, OT (South Carolina)
  • Round 7, Overall 235: Loc Edwards, P (Sam Houston St.)
  • Round 7, Overall 241: Charone Peake, WR (Clemson)

New York Jets 2016 Undrafted Free Agent Signings:

  • Doug Middleton, DB (Appalachian St.)
  • Jalin Marshall, WR (Ohio St.)
  • Tom Hackett, P (Utah)
  • Claude Pelon, DT (USC)
  • Quenton Bundrage, WR (Iowa St.)
  • Jason Vander Laan, QB (Ferris St.)
  • Kyle Friend, OL (Temple)
  • Robby Anderson, WR (Temple)
  • Ross Martin, K (Duke)
  • Lawrence Thomas, DE (Michigan St.)
  • Daniel Sobolewski, K (Albright)
  • Tarow Barney, DT (Penn St.)
  • Romar Morris, RB (North Carolina)
  • Dave Hedelin, OT (Purdue)
  • Dahon Taylor, OT (Virginia Union)

Here’s how the New York Jets depth charts and packages are projected to look come Sep. 11 as they’ll open up against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium:

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Offensive Depth Chart

Yes, Ryan Fitzpatrick will be back as the starting quarterback for the New York Jets.

While Mikey Mac currently has only $3.338 million under the cap to work with, there are many ways to fit the veteran in.

The first route, and one we went with when considering the projected depth chart, is to cut right tackle Breno Giacomini. Unfortunately for Giacomini, his $5.625 million cap hit in 2016 just doesn’t warrant the production he provides.

Couple that with Maccagnan’s eagerness to trade up in the fifth-round to snag South Carolina’s Brandon Shell, and it’s a recipe for a Giacomini veteran cut.

This will provide many question marks on the opposite side of Ryan Clady. Actually, it’ll create a very shaky situation on both ends of the line in factoring Clady’s inability to stay healthy.

Aside from the line concerns the depth chart up and down the offensive side of things looks relatively solid. Note that the name of Geno Smith isn’t present. If Fitz comes back into the fold, it’ll most certainly be Geno who’s sent packing (freeing up a little more space under the cap).

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Base Offense

  • QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
  • RB: Matt Forte
  • FB: Tommy Bohanon
  • TE: Jace Amaro
  • WR1: Brandon Marshall
  • WR2: Eric Decker
  • LT: Ryan Clady
  • LG: James Carpenter
  • C: Nick Mangold
  • RG: Brian Winters
  • RT: Brandon Shell / Ben Ijalana

Again, this offense looks loaded at the skilled positions, but will only do as much as its offensive line will allow.

This five-man group is extremely shaky. Even if Maccagnan somehow manages to keep Giacomini, it’s still a shaky situation. Clady will most definitely be relied upon to stay healthy and Brandon Shell is going to provide an invaluable contribution if he’s able to start in year one. If not, and the Jets can’t find a veteran tackle in the summer, Ben Ijalana will be another guy who’ll be important.

All of the weapons – Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker – have some age to them.

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Spread Offense / 3rd Down

  • QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
  • RB: Matt Forte / Bilal Powell
  • WR1: Brandon Marshall
  • WR2: Eric Decker
  • WR3: Devin Smith
  • WR4: Quincy Enunwa
  • TE1: Jace Amaro
  • LT: Ryan Clady
  • LG: James Carpenter
  • C: Nick Mangold
  • RG: Brian Winters
  • RT: Brandon Shell / Ben Ijalana

Chan Gailey is a guy who loves to spread it out. We know this.

This is why a guy like Quncy Enunwa is so valuable to a Gailey-led offense. Enunwa provides matchup problems all over the field. At 6’2”, 225 lbs., Enunwa has the body of a tight-end but runs like a wide receiver. This allows Gailey to play four wideouts with no tight-ends more than any NFL team. How this will affect the returning Jace Amaro remains to be seen.

The versatility of Matt Forte will also do wonders in keeping the Jets more chameleon-like.

In 2015 when Chris Ivory was on the field, defenses knew covering the running-back out of thr backfield was of a lesser priority. Only when Bilal Powell entered was it a concern. Now, Forte or Powell can play in third-down packages.

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Big Boy Offense / Short-Yardage

  • QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
  • RB: Matt Forte / Khiry Robinson
  • FB: Tommy Bohanon
  • TE1: Kellen Davis
  • TE2: Jace Amaro
  • TE/WR: Quincy Enunwa / Brandon Marshall
  • LT: Ryan Clady
  • LG: James Carpenter
  • C: Nick Mangold
  • RG: Brian Winters
  • RT: Brandon Shell / Ben Ijalana

What Matt Forte brings by way of versatility to passing situations he also brings in goalline spots. He, along with Khiry Robinson, will most likely serve as the goalline backs for the Jets in 2016.

Kellen Davis was held onto not for his receiving abilities, but for his dirty work along the edges of the trenches.

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Defensive Depth Chart

3-4 Base:

4-3 Base:

  • LDE: Muhammad Wilkerson, Jarvis Jenkins, Julian Howsare, Lawrence Okoye
  • LDT: Leonard Williams, Steve McLendon, Deon Simon
  • RDT: Sheldon Richardson, Josh Martin
  • RDE: Lorenzo Mauldin, Jordan Jenkins, Julian Stanford, Deion Barnes
  • SAM: Bruce Carter, Erin Henderson
  • MIKE: David Harris, Taiwan Jones
  • WILL: Darron Lee, Erin Henderson
  • CB1: Darrelle Revis, Dee Milliner, Dexter McDougle, Kendall Jones
  • CB2: Buster Skrine, Marcus Williams, Juston Burris, Kevin Short, Darryl Morris
  • FS: Marchus Gilchrist, Rontez Miles, Ronald Martin
  • SS: Calvin Pryor, Dion Bailey

Here’s where all the fun truly begins.

Todd Bowles is a man whose defensive principles are tried and true. He’s a defensive mind who prides himself in the idea of versatility. This means his fronts will always have a versatile nature to them.

So, while the Jets defense will always be listed as a 3-4, thanks to the offseason acquisitions of Steve McLendon, Jarvis Jenkins and Bruce Carter, and drafting of Darron Lee, it’s clear that four-man fronts are on Bowles’s mind.

Throw into the mix that it looks like Muhammad Wilkerson will most definitely be around in 2016, and four-man fronts should rule the roost (in looking to get Big Mo, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams on the field at the same time).

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Base Defense

3-4 Base:

  • LDE: Muhammad Wilkerson
  • NT: Steve McLendon
  • RDE: Sheldon Richardson / Leonard Williams
  • LOLB: Trevor Reilly / Jordan Jenkins
  • LILB: David Harris
  • RILB: Erin Henderson / Darron Lee
  • ROLB: Lorenzo Mauldin
  • CB1: Darrelle Revis
  • CB2: Buster Skrine
  • FS: Marcus Gilchrist
  • SS: Calvin Pryor

4-3 Base:

  • LDE: Muhammad Wilkerson
  • LDT: Leonard Williams
  • RDT: Sheldon Richardson
  • RDE: Lorenzo Mauldin / Jordan Jenkins
  • SAM: Bruce Carter / Erin Henderson
  • MIKE: David Harris
  • WILL: Darron Lee
  • CB1: Darrelle Revis
  • CB2: Buster Skrine
  • FS: Marcus Gilchrist
  • SS: Calvin Pryor

When looking at the Jets current personnel, the 3-4 becomes incredibly inconvenient when considering one of the big three (Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams) have to remain on the sidelines. If all three are in the game at once, Bowles is basically playing a four-man front, unless one is playing the traditional 3-4 nose tackle (which is a reach).

Darron Lee’s availability in the base scheme will also lean heavily towards the Jets using a four-man front. It allows the smaller Lee to excel in a true 4-3 WILL position.

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Sub Defense / 3rd Down

  • LDE: Muhammad Wilkerson
  • LDT: Leonard Williams
  • RDT: Sheldon Richardson
  • RDE: Lorenzo Mauldin / Jordan Jenkins / Trevor Reilly
  • LB1: Darron Lee
  • LB2: Bruce Carter / David Harris
  • CB1: Darrelle Revis
  • CB2: Buster Skrine
  • CB3: Marcus Williams
  • CB4: Dee Milliner / Dexter McDougle / Juston Burris
  • FS: Marcus Gilchrist
  • SS: Calvin Pryor
  • S3: Dion Bailey

The Jets 20th overall pick, Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee, was, in fact, a need pick. While it wasn’t a need at quarterback or edge rusher – as most felt were the top priorities – Lee did fill a major need.

What Lee will do is kick David Harris off the field in sub packages and provide a much needed coverage linebacker for the hook-to-curl routes inside.

Where have the Jets been burned most over the last several years? It’s been tight-ends and running backs catching balls (mostly from Tom Brady). Harris, for his run-stuffing abilities, is horrid in pass coverage.

Lee will immediately fill a gigantic and unique need in nickel and dime packages. And remember, this new NFL uses three wide receiver-plus sets a ridiculous amount. A player acting as a stud in a nickel or dime role is just as important as in the base package.

Although Muhammad Wilkerson would be better served rushing from the interior, he’ll have to, yet again, come at the QB from the outside thanks to the plethora of interior beasts this roster has.

The other edge will be more of the traditional rusher with the likes of Lorenzo Mauldin, Trevor Reilly, and rookie Jordan Jenkins.

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Big Boy Defense / Short-Yardage

  • LDE: Muhammad Wilkerson
  • LDT: Jarvis Jenkins
  • NT: Steve McLendon
  • RDT: Leonard Williams
  • RDE: Sheldon Richardson
  • LOLB: Bruce Carter
  • MLB: David Harris
  • ROLB: Erin Henderson
  • CB1: Darrelle Revis
  • CB2: Buster Skrine
  • S: Calvin Pryor / Marcus Gilchrist

When the big boy defense comes on the field, Bowles’s defense will have no problems fitting in all of its interior talent. In the secondary, Calvin Pryor and Darrelle Revis in the goalline is as good as it gets.