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The Jets have had quite an offseason. Did anyone expect anything different? New York has not made the playoffs since 2010. Since that season — which ended in the AFC Championship Game — the Jets have had just one winning season which did not lead to a playoff berth. Over the last three seasons, the Jets are 14-34 and have turned into one of the league's biggest dumpster fires.
New York has attempted to put out the fire. The first step was drafting Sam Darnold. The Jets believe he is a franchise quarterback who will be around for a long time.
Next, they let go of Todd Bowles after four long seasons, and brought in Adam Gase. Some were skeptical of this move given that Mike McCarthy was also available.
The first day of free agency gave the Jets Jamison Crowder and C.J. Mosley.
The second day did not have the same luck for the Jets. Anthony Barr decided to back out of an agreement. He returned to Minnesota. The Jets missed out on center Matt Paradis. The roof seemed to be caving in once again, but then they signed Le'Veon Bell. This gave Jets fans hope, but they are still not expected to be a playoff team in 2019.
Just a few weeks after free agency, the Jets fired general manager Mike Maccagnan. They have a coaching staff full of egos that begins with Gase and continues with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
It is safe to say that the Jets will still have problems in the upcoming season. With training camp underway, these are three potential roster cuts New York could make.
3. Bilal Powell
Powell is not a great running back. Calling him a good back is acceptable, but the word to describe Powell is solid. He has been a Jet since 2011. He has had over 100 carries just four times, and has never rushed for over 800 yards. In 2017, he had his best statistical season with 772 yards and five touchdowns. At 30 years old and coming off an injury, the Jets could part with Powell.
The Jets added one of the best backs in the league when they signed Bell. He is a true threat and will be the Jets' three-down running back. New York also added Ty Montgomery. He had an ugly departure in Green Bay, but he could find a home with the Jets. His ability as a receiver should keep him around. This leaves Powell as the third option, and the Jets may decide they do not need him.
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2. Brandon Copeland
This is an unlikely roster move. Copeland has a chance to be a starter this season along with Jordan Jenkins. There is a chance either one of them will get cut if rookie Jachai Polite emerges, but Copeland seems to be first in line.
The Jets selected Polite with the 68th pick of April's draft. He is a strong edge rusher out of Florida. This is a position the Jets desperately needed heading into the draft, and they got a good one. New York could keep getting younger on defense and prepare for the future. The Jets are already ahead of the game with safety Jamal Adams. Polite has a chance in camp to earn a starting spot and knock Copeland off the depth chart.
1. Kelvin Beachum
The Jets had a bad offensive line in 2018, Beachum included. Having him back at left tackle might seem safe since he has experience, but it is not the best move. Getting rid of Beachum would save the Jets $8 million against the cap.
The Jets added Kelechi Osemele in a trade with the Oakland Raiders. They also drafted Chuma Edoga in the third round of April's draft. Would they be bold enough to start a rookie at left tackle? Edoga is a player Darnold knows very well. They were teammates at USC, and Darnold is a big fan. It would be smart to have Edoga start at a guard position, but he could be on the field to make the quarterback happy.
The Jets have the option to keep 10 linemen if they want. They do not have quality, so they might keep one extra just in case. If they do not, Beachum could be the odd man out.
