Sam Darnold heads the ex-Jets of 2024
Over the past few seasons, we’ve been putting together a team of ex-Jets based on how they had performed with their new teams during the year. Last month we recapped how ex-Jets fared during the 2024 season, so let’s now attempt to put together an all-former Jets team for 2024.
Quarterback – Sam Darnold
Darnold had only started seven games since 2021, but he headed to the Pro Bowl in 2024 as he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record. He completed 66 percent of his passes for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns and also rushed for over 200 yards and a touchdown. While Darnold did throw 12 interceptions and struggled in the season finale and postseason, it will be fascinating to see where his career goes from here.
(Last year: Geno Smith)
Running Back – Ty Johnson
Ty Johnson racked up over 500 yards from scrimmage for the Buffalo Bills as he averaged 5.2 yards per carry and caught 18 passes during the regular season. Josh Allen called Johnson the best third down back in the league as he scored five touchdowns, including one in the playoffs. However, his performance fell short of Raheem Mostert’s Pro Bowl season last year.
(Last year: Raheem Mostert)
Tight End – Eric Tomlinson
Here’s one position that was tough to fill. CJ Uzomah and EJ Jenkins both won a Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles, but they caught just one pass between them, so Tomlinson – who had two catches – earns the spot for his blocking contributions, even though he was released before the end of the year.
(Last year: Trevon Wesco)
Wide Receivers – Elijah Moore, Kalif Raymond and Greg Dortch
Elijah Moore struggled to develop chemistry with Deshaun Watson, but he saw his production increase once Watson was out for the season and ended up with a career-high 61 catches for 538 yards and a touchdown. He constantly ranks among the elite in separation metrics, so could be a low-cost breakout candidate if he gets a rotational role on a team with good quarterback play.
Raymond’s production fell off in 2024, largely as a result of the fact that the Detroit Lions had so many offensive weapons that it was difficult to get everyone involved. Even so, when targeted, he made positive contributions with 17 catches for 215 yards and two scores.
The diminutive Greg Dortch has made a decent career for himself with the Arizona Cardinals. He racked up almost 400 yards from scrimmage in 2024. He caught 37 passes including three touchdowns.
(Last year: Elijah Moore, Kalif Raymond and Braxton Berrios)
Offensive Line – Mekhi Becton and Kelvin Beachum at tackle, Trystan Colon and Laken Tomlinson at guard, Connor McGovern at center
There was major competition for these five spots in 2024, with every single candidate coming from an NFC team.
For the purposes of this team, we’re moving Becton back out to left tackle because, let’s face it: He. Is. A. Left. Tackle. However, he was a revelation this year at right guard as he picked up a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles. After giving up three sacks in the first four games, Becton didn’t give up another all year and also reduced his penalty count to four in the regular season.
The other tackle spot goes to Beachum who started 12 games at right tackle for Arizona and gave up just four sacks.
There was a dilemma for the selection committee at guard as both Tomlinson and Greg Van Roten each played well, started every game and led their respective teams in offensive snaps. However, despite only starting seven games, Colon proved worthy of selection as he didn’t give up a sack and only had one penalty. Tomlinson got the edge over Van Roten at the other spot by virtue of the fact he gave up one fewer sack.
Finally, McGovern – who, strictly speaking, was arguably not eligible since he went back to the Jets briefly despite not playing for them – wins the center role having started five times for the New Orleans Saints and not surrendered any sacks. Both Colon and Van Roten took snaps at center during the season, so could have laid claim to this spot.
(Last season: Morgan Moses and George Fant at tackle, Chuma Edoga and Greg Van Roten at guard, Trystan Colon at center)
Defensive Line – Leonard Williams, John Franklin-Myers and Mike Pennel
Williams had a slow start to the season, but ironically he had his big breakout against the New York Jets as he had two sacks and a long pick-six. In the end, he had two or more sacks in four of the last seven games to end the year with 11 and earn Pro Bowl and All Pro honors. He also had 64 tackles and 28 quarterback hits.
Franklin-Myers set out to make the Jets regret trading him and achieved this emphatically, as he racked up a series of career-highs, including 40 tackles and seven sacks.
Pennel once again played a key role for the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. The 33-year old’s combined 387 regular season and postseason snaps were a career-high and he also set a career mark with three sacks to go along with 25 tackles.
(Last season: Sheldon Rankins, Nathan Shepherd and Leonard Williams)
Edge Defenders – Frankie Luvu and Carl Lawson
Luvu’s first year in Washington was a resounding success as he was named a second team All Pro. He racked up 99 tackles, eight sacks and seven pass breakups, five of which came on passes he batted down at the line.
Lawson had a bounce-back year as he racked up five sacks and 15 quarterback hits for the Cowboys in 15 games.
(Last season: Jacob Martin and Frankie Luvu)
Linebackers – Demario Davis and Blake Cashman
There’s no change at this spot, as Cashman set career-marks across the board with 112 tackles, eight pass breakups and 4.5 sacks. Davis also set a career-high with 136 tackles, adding seven pass breakups and two sacks.
(Last season – Demario Davis and Blake Cashman)
Cornerbacks – Corey Ballentine and Art Maulet
This remains one of the toughest positions to fill, perhaps because the Jets have had the same three starters for the past few years. Bryce Hall got injured in the first game, so Maulet and Ballentine basically retained their roles by default as they were the only ex-Jets to play more than 20 defensive snaps at cornerback.
Maulet spent most of the year on injured reserve and had five tackles in three games, while Ballentine mostly played on special teams but did start one game. In a theoretical game between the current Jets and these ex-Jets, this would obviously be the matchup you’d attack.
(Last season: Corey Ballentine and Art Maulet)
Safeties – Jason Pinnock and Jordan Whitehead
Pinnock had another productive year with the New York Giants as he had 85 tackles and a career high three sacks.
Whitehead was also productive in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as he had 79 tackles and three pass breakups, along with no penalties.
(Last season – Jason Pinnock and Marcus Maye)
Kicker – Nick Folk
Folk led the NFL for the second season in a row in terms of field goal percentage. He missed just one kick and had one successful game-winner.
(Last season – Chase McLaughlin)
Punter – Braden Mann
Mann was once again the only ex-Jet to punt in the league this year, but he has settled into his role nicely with the Super Bowl champion Eagles and could remain with them for some time. His numbers tailed off a bit at the end of the season, but he still had a better year statistically than Thomas Morstead.
(Last season – Braden Mann)
Long snapper – Zach Triner
Triner retains the long snapper spot this year by virtue of the fact he was the only ex-Jet to see action in that role this year. He played in six games with the Buccaneers and three with the Miami Dolphins.
(Last season – Zach Triner)
Return Specialist – Kalif Raymond/Brandon Codrington
Raymond was an easy choice as he led the entire NFL in punt return yardage and was third in average as he scored on a 90-yard touchdown. Codrington was the best option here as a kick returner, with an average of 27.7 yards and a long of 53.
(Last season – Kalif Raymond/Godwin Igwebuike)
Special Teamers
There were plenty of ex-Jets who would contribute on special teams for a hypothetical all-ex-Jets all star team, highlighted by Nick Bellore who led the entire NFL in special teams tackles. Linebackers Neville Hewitt and Del’Shawn Phillips were also in double-figures.
Conclusions
It’s fascinating to see this team evolve from year to year. Some new trends developed over the past 12 months.
One interesting anomaly is that nearly all of the best contributions from ex-Jets came from players on NFC teams. Another was that several players, especially on defense, set career-highs this season.
However, while in the past there have been multiple, often underwhelming, options at each position, this year there was more star quality than in the past, but also more of a positional imbalance, with some key contributors not making the team while certain positions (primarily at tight end and cornerback) had hardly any viable options. Next year, you might see the likes of DJ Reed and Tyler Conklin producing elsewhere, which will balance things out a bit.
Ultimately, we can have concern both about some of the talented players the team has let out of the building, while also being troubled by the lack of depth they’ve clearly had at certain positions and the bad luck they’ve had in terms of guys who couldn’t stay healthy here suddenly emerging as durable contributors.
Whether or not they learn anything from these trends, we can only hope that the Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn braintrust fares better in those areas.