Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Jets will cut their roster down to 53 players by 4 PM EST on Tuesday, along with the rest of the NFL. Some of the names on the cut list could surprise fans, though.
The Jets are once again expected to be a playoff contender this season. This time, though, general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh are on thin ice. Aaron Rodgers' season-ending Achilles injury four plays into the season essentially gave them a “freebie” last year, but 2024 will be a different story. If New York doesn't make “The Dance” this year, there will likely be a regime change.
Luckily for the current brass, the Jets have one of their most stacked rosters years, which means some talented players will inevitably get ousted over the coming days. Douglas must choose wisely, though, as letting go of the wrong players could come back to bite him. If another team claims one of his cuts on waivers and becomes a standout player, it would be another reason for the Jets faithful to call for his head.
Who are three surprise names who could be let go over the coming days?
DE Michael Clemons
New York had high hopes for Clemons after taking him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. However, the Texas A&M alum hasn't stood out, totaling just three sacks, 63 tackles, and one forced fumble after two seasons.
Clemons only made negative headlines last year. One incident the 6-foot-5, 263-pounder had was when he cursed out a fan before the Jets' Week 17 game against the Cleveland Browns last season, via @propjoesays on X.
michael clemons making his feeling known pic.twitter.com/pUJGXLNwsT
— string (@propjoesays) December 29, 2023
Another was when he almost fought with Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins in Week 11, via CBS' Otis Livingston.
The near fight in question. Michael Clemons and Dion Dawkins have to be separated. Two big dudes almost locked horns. Spilled over from beef during the 32-6 Bills win. 📸 From my iPhone pic.twitter.com/P7xE0ADi3f
— Otis Livingston (@OlivingstonTV) November 20, 2023
“The near fight in question. Michael Clemons and Dion Dawkins have to be separated. Two big dudes almost locked horns. Spilled over from beef during the 32-6 Bills win. 📸 From my iPhone,” Livingston reported.
Clemons could save his spot on the roster with a standout game against the New York Giants on Saturday to wrap up the preseason. However, even with Haason Reddick holding out and former starter John-Franklin Myers being traded, New York's defensive end room is crowded. Will McDonald, Jermaine Johnson, and Solomon Thomas should all get plenty of reps this year, while bubble players like Eric Watts have impressed this summer as well.
Article Continues Below
If Clemons does make the team, he'll need to get in the headlines for the right reasons this time around, or his Jets career won't last much longer.
OT Max Mitchell
New York brought in several new offensive linemen this offseason, so there may not be a spot left for Mitchell, via A To Z Sports' Mike Antoniou.
“Mitchell might be the odd man out as of now. In the game against the Carolina Panthers, Mitchell played the second half with the third and fourth stringers,” Antoniou wrote. “He played well, but that might be more of a testament to his competition than his abilities. Meanwhile, Xavier Newman and Carter Warren have both performed very well this preseason against better competition.”
The Jets acquired Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, John Simpson, and first-round rookie Olu Fashanu to bolster the line. If they all stay healthy, it'll help the team win more games this year, but it could spell trouble for Mitchell. The 2022 fourth-round pick has positional versatility but isn't NFL-starter caliber. If players like Newman and Jake Hanson have a better showing against the Giants, the writing may be on the wall for Mitchell.
RB Izzy Abanikanda
Abanikanda has been named as a possible cut candidate for months now, but it's still surprising for a second-year fifth-round pick to already be on the chopping block. The Pitt alum was named as a player New York “should” cut on Friday, via Bleacher Report's David Kenyon.
“A fifth-round pick in 2023, Israel Abanikanda arrived as an interesting, physical backup for the Jets,” Kenyon said. “He managed just 22 carries as a rookie and is moving in the wrong direction on the depth chart, though. First-year players Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis appear to have leaped Abanikanda, who logged only six plays on special teams last year, too.”
Abanikanda has logged 12 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown so far this preseason. The 21-year-old will probably get his last chance to prove himself against the Giants on Saturday, but he's unlikely to surpass Allen and Davis. His only chance to make the team will be if the Jets decide to keep a fourth running back.
