NFL PREVIEW: 2020 NEW YORK JETS

BY ADAM GREENE

Key Additions: QB Joe Flacco (free agent), CB Pierre Desir (free agent), WR Breshad Perriman (free agent), ILB Patrick Onwuasor (free agent), LT George Fant (free agent), RB Frank Gore, CB Quincy Wilson (free agent), LG Greg Van Roten (free agent), C Josh Andrews (free agent), C Connor McGovern (free agent)

2020 NFL Draft: OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville (round 1), WR Denzel Mims, Baylor (round 2), DB Ashtyn Davis, California (round 3), DE Jabari Zuniga, Florida (round 3), RB Lamaical Perine, Florida (round 4), QB James Morgan, FIU (round 4), OL Cameron Clark, Charlotte (round 4), CB Bryce Hall, Virginia (round 5), P Braden Mann, Texas A&M (round 6)

Projected Offensive Starters: QB Sam Darnold, RB Le’Veon Bell, WR Breshad Perriman, WR Jamison Crowder, WR Denzel Mims, TE Chris Herndon, LT Mekhi Becton, LG Alex Lewis, C Connor McGovern, RG Greg Van Roten, RT Chuma Edoga

Projected Defensive Starters: LDE Henry Anderson, NT Steve McLendon, RDE Quinnen Williams, WLB Jabari Zuniga, LILB C.J. Mosley, RILB Avery Williamson, SLB Jordan Jenkins, LCB Pierre Desir, RCB Blessuan Austin, SS Jamal Adams (for now), FS Marcus Maye

K: Brett Maher

P: Braden Mann

Head Coach: Adam Gase

2019 Record: 7-9, 3^rd place, AFC East

A Look Back: The fact that the Jets finished a game away from .500 is incredible, because this was a horrible team, top to bottom. They opened the year 0-4 and were really only in one game, a 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Every other game in the first month was a double-digit loss.

But they got a lot better, at least when they played teams with comparably bad rosters. They even managed to pick up a couple of wins over significantly better teams. In fact, against squads that finished 9-7 or worse, the Jets went 6-4. Three of their losses were by one score, so even at 7-9, this team seriously overachieved and even managed to win their last two games, a 16-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers and a 13-6 win over the Bills (who were resting starters for the playoffs).

2020 Projection: The problem with the Jets is there’s no real fix to be had. Not where they are as a roster and where they are in the division. Unless Darnold makes a serious leap as a quarterback, and there’s no reason to believe he will, this team tops out under .500. They have one star player, Jamal Adams, but he plays a position that can’t help push them over the hump. And he wants out, actively seeking a trade as I write this.

There’s no guy they can count to make the key play on offense to win any game. If you were taking over the Jets in Madden, you would replace nearly their entire roster with free agents and trades before you even simulated the preseason. Gase’s coaching is the only reason they didn’t go 2-14 last year and everybody hates him.

2020 Projected Win Total: 6-10. I don’t see enough roster improvement possible to make any real difference with the Jets team. Currently under 6.5 wins pays at -115 and 5-9 victories pays at -260, so those are two of the easiest bets you could make. With Cam Newton in New England and an improved Miami Dolphins team, there’s not even room to move up in the division. My guess is this is the end for Gase as a head coach, which is unfortunate, and perhaps Darnold as a starting QB too.

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