The New York Jets turned their roster over in a significant way this offseason. There will be new starters at a few spots on offense, and at most spots on defense. About half (26 to be exact) of the players in this projection weren’t on the Jets’ roster at this time last year.

In light of everything observed at minicamp and OTAs, this is the right time to conduct an early 53-man roster projection:

Quarterback (2)

In: Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik
Out: Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook

We’ve written about the Jets’ quarterback room a lot this spring. Here’s my thinking on keeping two quarterbacks: Smith and Klubnik will be on the 53-man roster, and the Jets need a third quarterback, ideally a veteran, in the room. If that’s Zappe, the Jets don’t necessarily need to keep him on the 53. They can pass him through to the practice squad, then elevate him for a couple of weeks and use that roster spot elsewhere.

Until or unless the Jets add another quarterback, Zappe will get a real shot to win the No. 2 job during training camp. The team has already said they value his experience from New England.

I would be surprised if the Jets don’t add more (or different) competition at some point. Maybe that’s in free agency with Cooper Rush or Joshua Dobbs — the only veterans of any sort of repute still available — or in a trade or waiver claim. There are some crowded quarterback rooms in Tennessee (Will Levis), New Orleans (Spencer Rattler), Indianapolis (Anthony Richardson), Philadelphia (Andy Dalton), Minnesota (Max Brosmer), Las Vegas (Aidan O’Connell) and Pittsburgh (Mason Rudolph, Will Howard).

Analyzing 3 standout performers from the Jets’ offseason program

Zack Rosenblatt

Running Back (5)

In: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwangwu, Andrew Beck
Out: Chip Trayanum, Sam Scott

The first four (Hall, Allen, Davis, Nwangwu) are locks. Beck feels like a safe bet as the only fullback on the roster who can also serve as depth at tight end — plus the Jets paid him $1.075 million guaranteed, more than they gave Nwangwu, Tim Patrick, Andre Cisco, Max Mitchell and Chukwuma Okorafor.

Trayanum is an intriguing player with decent guarantees for a UDFA ($175,000), but the path to the 53-man roster will be challenging.

Wide Receiver (6)

In: Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Tim Patrick, Isaiah Williams, Arian Smith
Out: Caullin Lacy, Malik McClain, Jamaal Pritchett, Gee Scott Jr., DT Sheffield, Jalen Walthall

This group feels pretty locked in, barring injuries. I don’t see any of the other players sticking around unless the Jets really like someone like Lacy on special teams.

Tight End (3)

In: Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, Jeremy Ruckert
Out: Jelani Woods, Chase Curtis

Woods flashed early in OTAs, then didn’t really make a noticeable mark at the end of OTAs or in minicamp. He can certainly play his way onto the roster considering his physical traits (6-foot-7, 253 pounds), ties to Frank Reich (the Colts drafted him when Reich was coach) and the fact that the Jets kept him on the roster all of last season and brought him back. Still, he has to show more to stick.

Offensive Line (9)

In: OT Olu Fashanu, OT Armand Membou, G Dylan Parham, G Joe Tippmann, C Josh Myers, G Anez Cooper, T/G Max Mitchell, OT Chukwuma Okorafor, G Xavier Newman-Johnson
Out: Landon Young, Liam Fornadel, Marquis Hayes, Courtland Ford, Kohl Levao, Xavier Hill

Among those in the “out” group, Young has the best shot of pushing for a roster spot considering his experience (56 games, 12 starts), versatility (can play guard and tackle) and size (6-7, 321), but I don’t see him making it over Newman unless he has a good training camp.

This looks like a solid group on paper; it could elevate above that if Fashanu and Membou, in particular, take the next step. I am concerned a little bit about depth — remember, the backups didn’t need to play last year because the starting offensive line didn’t miss a single game — but the starting unit should be fine.

Defensive Tackle (6)

In: T’Vondre Sweat, Harrison Phillips, Jowon Briggs, David Onyemata, Darrell Jackson Jr., Mazi Smith
Out: Payton Page, Eric Watts, Jack Heflin

The depth of this group has increased tremendously. Maybe they don’t have the type of high-end talent they had with Quinnen Williams, but Sweat has significant potential if he can stay in shape, Briggs was a surprising breakout last year, Onyemata is a solid veteran and legit run stopper, and Phillips is a leader. Jackson is a developmental prospect with intriguing size.

At this early stage, I kept Smith on the roster purely for financial reasons: He’s owed $2.56 million guaranteed. He didn’t show enough to get on the field practically at all after the Jets got him in the Williams trade, but perhaps defensive line coach Karl Dunbar can tap into the potential that got him drafted in the first round in 2023.

Edge Rusher (4)

In: David Bailey, Will McDonald, Joseph Ossai, Kingsley Enagbare
Out: Tyler Baron, Braiden McGregor, Kingsley Jonathan, Nathan Voorhis, Paschal Ekeji

The Jets need McDonald to play better than he did last season. He had eight sacks, but half of them came in a Week 10 win over the Cleveland Browns. He still hasn’t shown much progress as a run defender, and in his fourth year, he still hasn’t really bulked up in the way the Jets hoped he would.

Bailey should make an instant impact as a pass rusher, but he still needs work in the running game.

On that front, it helps to have both Ossai and Enagbare — two starting-caliber edge rushers — joining the rotation, especially since both are solid against the run. This is the first legitimate rotation the Jets have had here since the defensive end group was at its best in 2022-23, a collection that included John Franklin-Myers, Carl Lawson, Bryce Huff, Jermaine Johnson and McDonald.

Baron was a fifth-round pick last year who will have to fight his way onto the roster. McGregor could stick for depth.

Inside Linebacker (4)

In: Demario Davis, Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa, Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Out: Mykal Walker, Chase Wilson, Jaden Keller

Aside from the quarterback room, the biggest concern depth-wise on the roster is here. Davis and Sherwood are a solid pairing as the starters — assuming Davis doesn’t fall off at age 37 and Sherwood can bounce back after a bad 2025 — but this group is thin. A year ago, Mauigoa was a fifth-round rookie who probably played more than he should have on one of the NFL’s worst defenses, and he didn’t show enough to be confident in his ability to step in as a starter. PFF graded him 77th of 85 linebackers to play at least 300 snaps, 74th in tackling and 79th in coverage. He missed 16.7 percent of his tackles.

McCrary-Ball was a special-teams captain and should return in a special-teams role again — if Walker makes it, that’s his role too. But GM Darren Mougey should add a veteran of some sort before or during training camp. Some options still out there include Bobby Okereke, Kenneth Murray, Matt Milano and Devin White.

Cornerback (6)

In: Brandon Stephens, Nahshon Wright, D’Angelo Ponds, Azareye’h Thomas, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Qwan’tez Stiggers
Out: Mory Bamba, Tre Brown, Samuel Womack, Jordan Clark

Outside of Stephens, who is pretty locked into a starting role, this will be a full-blown competition. Wright feels like the early favorite to start opposite Stephens, though Thomas will certainly push him for the job.

It will come down to Ponds, a second-round rookie, and Brownlee for the nickel job. Stiggers still brings great value on special teams and is solid depth.

Bamba, a UDFA, is an elite athlete who could push for a special-teams role.

Safety (5)

In: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Andre Cisco, Dane Belton, Malachi Moore, VJ Payne
Out: Dean Clark, Jarius Monroe, Keidron Smith

The Jets were high on Cisco last year, which is why they brought him back despite an underwhelming 2025 that ended early due to injury. Belton is more intriguing as a potential starter alongside Fitzpatrick because he’s such a sure tackler and has a history of forcing turnovers.

Don’t sleep on Moore either. The Jets were very high on his potential a year ago, and they haven’t added anyone of significance to suggest they don’t still feel that way. He just has a lot to prove.

Payne is an intriguing player with good size (6-3, 206) and athleticism. He thrives against tight ends because of his size, can contribute on special teams and made some plays during OTAs.

Special Teams (3)

In: K Jason Sanders, P Austin McNamara, LS Thomas Hennessy
Out: K Cade York, LS Garrison Grimes

The 100th annual Jets training camp kicking competition (I’m not sure I’m exaggerating that figure) will take place this summer, with Sanders and York as the (current) contestants.

Sanders has a long history of productive kicking, though he is coming off a hip injury that cost him all of 2025.