OTA's: A Breakdown of All The competitions on Offense

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Jets OTAs: A breakdown of all the competitions on offense

 

 

Geno Smith is in the most hotly-contested competition heading into this season. (William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

 

Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger By  Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger  
on June 04, 2013 at 12:17 PM, updated June 04, 2013 at 2:40 PM

 

Wednesday is the last OTA session open to the media before mandatory mini camp kicks off next week. Throughout the offseason, general manager John Idzik has preached competition at every position. Heading into a crucial stretch, we'll take a look at who needs to impress the most over the next few weeks.

 

 

QB:

Mark Sanchez
Geno Smith
Matt Simms
Greg McElroy

 

The QB position is obvious. Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith are battling it out for the right to be the opening-day starter. Marty Mornhinweg, the new offensive coordinator, wants things to be resolved quickly. Both have been taking reps with the first team. Many NFL teams keep two QBs on the active roster -- a trend the Jets followed until last year when injuries forced McElroy to jump up from the practice squad.

 

McElroy's credentials as a backup are well known. He was essential in the film room and on the sideline, and Mornhinweg likes a quick learner. Simms, though, has been receiving a few more of the third-string reps at camp and still has the all-important practice squad eligibility.

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad: 3 (McElroy, Sanchez, Tim Tebow).

Crunch time: Matt Simms and Greg McElroy. Sanchez and Smith's roster spots are safe.

 

RB:

Chris Ivory
Mike Goodson
Joe McKnight
Bilal Powell
John Griffin

 

Joe McKnight said that his fellow running backs would have to kill him in order to steal his roster spot. A quick look at the depth chart doesn't provide any further clarity into that situation, though. McKnight carved himself a niche as a kick returner but is it worthy of a roster spot on its own? Ivory and Goodson (we're assuming he doesn't miss time for the purpose of this exercise) appear to have clear-cut roles and Powell has proven himself as both a blocker and every-down ball carrier.

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad: 3

 

Crunch time:  McKnight and Griffin. Hard to imagine the Jets parting ways with Ivory, who cost them a fourth-round pick, or Powell, who had a nice season last year. Goodson's legal woes aside, he should be on the roster if everything works out in his favor. We should add that Griffin has bounced on and off the practice squad before.

 

FB

Tommy Bohanon
Lex Hilliard

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad:  1

 

Crunch time:  Everybody. Not sure this is the 2010 Jets where they can keep two fullbacks on the roster, especially if they want to try and squeeze an extra running back on board. Conventional wisdom would be that Bohanon has the slight advantage. He is much younger and about $300,000 cheaper. All of that could come into play.

 

WR

Stephen Hill
Santonio Holmes
Jeremy Kerley
Jordan White
K.J. Stroud
Ryan Spadola
Titus Ryan
Zach Rogers
Ben Obomanu
Thomas Mayo
Vidal Hazelton
Clyde Gates
Marcus Davis
Joseph Collins

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad:  8

 

Crunch time:  Collins, Davis, Gates, Hezelton, Mayo, Obomanu, Rogers, Ryan, Spadola, Stroud and White. Obviously, Hill, Holmes and Kerley will make the roster this year. It's hard to argue against that. Assuming the Jets keep roughly the same amount at the position this year, it's going to be a an all-out battle for those final three spots. White has been working out with Sanchez this summer, which could help his cause. Rogers has received a few mentions from Ryan, which can't hurt either. Obomanu has played for Idzik before and Gates has a few years under his belt in an NFL offense.

 

TE

Jeff Cumberland
Chris Pantale
Hayden Smith
Konrad Reuland
Mike Shanahan

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad: 4

 

Crunch time: Pantale and Shanahan. Hayden Smith has impressed early, and has come a long way since 2012. Chris Pantale has had a strong camp and Konrad Reuland continues to find himself open during team drills. In taking a (very) early look at the roster down the line, it wouldn't be crazy to see Cumberland, Reuland and Smith on the active roster and either Pantale or Shanahan on the practice squad. Again, that's a very early look. Either way, the two undrafted free agents have some separating to do.

 

Tackle

D'Brickashaw Ferguson
Austin Howard
Dennis Landolt
Oday Aboushi*
Vlad Ducasse*
Mark Popek*
Trey Gillio*

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad: 5

 

Crunch time: Ducasse, Popek, Landolt and Gillio. Ferguson and Howard aren't going anywhere this season. Aboushi can swing from tackle to guard, which helps his chances of making the roster immensely. This could come down to which of these players can fit themselves into the most holes along the line.

 

Guard

Willie Colon
Stephen Peterman
Will Campbell
Vlad Ducasse*
Mark Popek*
Brian Winters
Dalton Freeman*
Caleb Schlauderaff*

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad: 4

 

Crunch time: Ducasse, Popek, Freeman, Schlauderaff: Colon and Peterman were the starters last week during a team session open to the media, which means next to nothing. Winters came in with the next group as did Ducasse. Campbell has been rotating through all along. It's unlikely that the Jets would part ways with Campbell, who was always going to be a bit of a project. Anticipation is building to see Winters once the pads come on and Colon and Peterman have the experience.

 

Center:

Nick Mangold
Dalton Freeman*
Caleb Schlauderaff*

 

Number on 2012 Week 1 53 Man roster or practice squad: 2

 

Crunch time: Everyone but Mangold. You can make an argument for a right tackle competition, a guard competition, as well as battles at tight end, No. 4 wide receiver, fullback, ect. But left tackle and center are pretty much locked down. The interesting thing here will be if Freeman can establish himself enough at two positions to hang on. Schlauderaff managed to do as much last year.
 

[FloridaJetsFan]

What a disaster waiting to happen.

[JiFtheOracle]

Hayden Smith is going to be the story of the NFL this season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!