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There is a different feel about the New York Jets in 2025, and fans in the Big Apple are hoping that new head coach Aaron Glenn brings them some success that they have not seen in a while. The Jets also have a new-look roster to go with their first-time head coach, led by Justin Fields stepping in at quarterback in place of Aaron Rodgers.
The rest of the offense will also have somewhat of a different look, outside of wide receiver Garrett Wilson following his massive new contract extension. However, the scheme will be different and there will be some new faces in the lineup, such as rookie right tackle Armand Membou.
Defensively, the Jets will likely look very similar to what they rolled out there last season. Sauce Gardner also got a big contract this offseason and will lead a unit that is trying to get back to its form of 2023 when it was one of the most sturdy units in football.
The Jets are already one preseason game in, getting the Glenn era underway with a very impressive 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers. Fields looked good in that game and will have chances to build on that in the final two preseason games before officially getting the 2025 season underway on Sept. 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Before their first preseason game, the Jets released their first unofficial depth chart of the season, but there is still plenty of time for some shakeups to be made before the regular season gets going. Here are three players who could get passed for their starting jobs in the coming weeks.
WR Allen Lazard
The Jets brought in Allen Lazard when Rodgers was the quarterback due to the camaraderie that the veteran wideout shares with the legendary quarterback, but he is still listed as a starter in New York with Fields under center. While Lazard may be a more reliable option for Glenn and company, there may be more explosive options with a higher ceiling that they could go to.
Garrett Wilson and Josh Reynolds are also listed as starters at wide receiver, and it's hard to see either of them relinquishing those spots. Behind the three of them is Malachi Corley, a very talented former third-round pick who had a disastrous rookie season but has a lot of skill and is having a strong camp.
Corley was thought to be a steal in the 2024 NFL Draft when the Jets selected him at No. 65 overall, but he had a terrible preseason in 2024 and was stuck at the bottom of the depth chart as a result. Once he infamously fumbled at the one-yard line in primetime against the Houston Texans, fans didn't see much of him anymore.
Still, Corley can get the job done and should be more comfortable in his second season with a new coaching staff. During his college career at Western Kentucky, Corley caught 259 balls for 3,035 yards and 29 touchdowns, including 11 scores in each of his last two seasons.
Lazard has failed to be productive during his time with the Jets, catching just 60 balls during his two years there. He has also been banged up at times, which could leave the door open for Corley to step into a bigger role in his second season.
TE Jeremy Ruckert
In what is a surprise to some, Jeremy Ruckert is still listed as the top tight end on the Jets' roster despite the presence of rookie Mason Taylor. Ruckert is a reliable option and a good blocker, but he doesn't provide the same level of versatility, skill or explosiveness as a pass-catcher that Taylor projects to when he gets his feet under him in the pros.
The Ohio State product made nine starts last season and played some solid football for the Jets, but he was far from a frequent target in the New York offense with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. Last year, he caught just 18 balls for 105 yards without a touchdown despite playing in all 17 games.
While Ruckert's blocking skillset will certainly be something that the Jets can lean on, especially since Aaron Glenn will surely want to run the ball and establish an identity of physicality, having a security blanket like Taylor on the field can really raise the ceiling of this Jets offense, especially with a relatively limited passer like Justin Fields running the show.
Taylor didn't have a massive role over the last few years while playing for a very talented LSU squad that included the likes of Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Kyren Lacy and others during his time there. However, he still recorded 55 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns as a junior, leading the Jets to draft him with the No. 42 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
If Taylor flashes in practice and during the preseason, it's easy to see a world where Glenn and his staff give the LSU product the starting job before the regular season gets going.
