A lot of familiar faces head the list
As we all know by now, the 2024 season did not go according to plan for the New York Jets. What started with Super Bowl dreams ended in a reality where the Jets were one of the first teams mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
However, just because the team was bad doesn’t mean that every player was bad. So which Jets were the best in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus’ overall grades?
On offense, the top 5 performers among players who played in at least 300 snaps were:
- Wide receiver Garrett Wilson: 78.9
- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: 77.8
- Guard Alijah Vera-Tucker: 77.7
- Wide receiver Davante Adams: 77.6
- Guard John Simpson: 77.3
On defense, the top 5 performers among players who played in at least 300 snaps were:
- Linebacker Jamien Sherwood: 73.8
- Cornerback D.J. Reed: 70.7
- Cornerback Sauce Gardner: 70.2
- Interior defensive lineman Quinnen Williams: 69.6
- Linebacker Quincy Williams: 68.0
What stands out to me on this list is that it’s mostly populated by guys you would have expected at the beginning of the season. Outside of Sherwood, who filled in for injured linebacker C.J. Mosley, every player on this list was either established as one of the Jets’ best players or was a high value draft pick or signing over the last few years. On one hand, this means that the Jets’ best players weren’t really what sunk the ship. On the other, it always helps when help comes from an unexpected place and that really didn’t happen for the Jets outside of Sherwood’s emergence.
Beyond that, it’s notable that the highest grade on defense was only 73.8. For reference, that score would have ranked 17th among linebackers with at least 300 snaps. This generally lower level of play probably explains a lot about why the Jets took such a large step back this season. Based on that, getting their established “good” players to play back to form would seem to go a long way in righting the downtrodden franchise.