Dalton Freeman/Center- Listed as the only center on the roster not named Nick Mangold, Freeman will need to step up if anything goes wrong. The team must have faith in Freeman to keep him around. There will be competition in training camp but Freeman seems like a valuable backup.
Dexter McDougle/Cornerback- Injured last year, Dexter has the skills to flourish under Bowles. It will be exciting to watch Dexter climb the depth chart. There is a possibility Dexter could unseat Dee Milliner for the 4th CB position.
Ik Enemkpali/OLB/DE- Ik is a draft pick who looked very good in the preseason. The team is stacked on the defensive side of the ball so having Ik as a backup is a great option to have. He has the skills.
Leger Douzable/DT- Leger is a player that every team would be lucky enough to have. Leger can play multiple positions on the line and is very loyal to the team. It will be interesting to see how many snaps he gets this year after resigning with the team in the offseason.
J.C Copeland/FB- Copeland looks like a brawler who will knock people off their feet. As of right now it is a two man race with Copeland and Bohanan. It will be a battle to say the least but I expect Copeland to win out. Copeland will be a great fullback for the Jets. If he gets the ball, watch out.
The Backup Linebackers including Erin Henderson, Jamari Lattimore, Joe Mays, Taiwan Jones and Julian Howsare- Anyone who watched the Jets play recently can see that the team is missing a vital piece. The team has swung and missed on a linebacker who can rush the quarterback. David Harris and Demario Davis are great coverage linebackers who can tackle, but neither are pass rushers. Calvin Pace and Jason Babin are almost in the retirement home and there is talk that at least one if not both will be cut to save the cap space. Coples never has found his feet and was drafted to be a pass rusher. The Jets went out of their way to stock up on linebackers. Hopefully one of the linebackers can step up and sack the quarterback. The core will have time with the secondary the Jets compiled.
Dakota Dozier/Jarvis Harrison/OL- Two draft picks, one from each of the last two years. To say the Jets are thin at offensive line is an understatement. One of these two men needs to step up. Jarvis Harrison looks very promising and could push to start this year. Dakota also looked promising coming out of college last year, but could not quite get the hang of things. Hopefully one of these men can replace Willie Colon who is most likely in his last year with the team.
Ryan Fitzpatrick/QB- Many people believe that Ryan Fitzpatrick is the best backup quarterback in football right now. There are also people that think Fitzpatrick shouldn’t be a backup at all. Gailey may have said that Geno Smith is the clear cut starter, but it is up to Geno if he keeps the job. Geno’s inconsistent play may lead to Fitzpatrick starting. Fitzpatrick is a smart, game manager who flourishes in Gailey’s system. Time will tell.
Antonio Allen/S- Antonio Allen is the Leger Douzable of the secondary. Antonio Allen can play both safety and cornerback. With the new and improved Jets secondary, I think Allen will go back to playing strictly safety. Allen will push to start at the position and will steal snaps from Pryor and Gilchrist. Allen is a great player to have and a vital piece of the puzzle, ask Gronkowski.
Wes Sexton/TE- Wes was a UDFA this year who many people thought should be drafted. The team’s clear cut starter seems to be Jace Amaro at this point. It is unclear if Jeff Cumberland is part of the team’s long term plan. If Wes Sexton steps up there is a chance that the team moves on from Cumberland or Sudfeld. The two tight ends that are almost certaintly making the team at this point are Jace Amaro as the receiving TE and Kellen Davis as the blocking TE. The opportunity is wide open for Wes.
Chris Owusu/WR- Chris Owusu is fast, just ask the Miami Dolphins. Chris had a stellar game last year and proved he could be the replacement for Percy Harvin. Chris will be battling for the 5th receiver spot and due to the fact that he can do it all I expect him to get it. Chris can catch, run and is a kick returner as well. With Chris on the team there may be no more need for players like Hakim and Enunwa.
Zac Stacy/RB- The backfield is crowded but Stacy is young and hungry. Zac realizes now that everyone can be replaced in the NFL and I expect him to be a valuable backup who touches the ball a lot this year. Stacy will push Powell for the number two job.