Jets 2023 Rookie Progress Report entering Week 7 bye

During preseason, we tracked the progress of the seven players the Jets selected in the 2023 draft and some of the more promising undrafted free agents. Now that the bye week has arrived, it’s time to review the contributions made so far by these rookies in the regular season.

Defensive end Will McDonald

The Jets’ top pick has struggled to get on the field and was even a healthy scratch in one game. McDonald has been credited with just one tackle, although he did make a key play on special teams when he recovered a fumble. He has shown a couple of flashes of his ability to create pressure in limited action. However, the Jets’ depth on the defensive line -- in particular, the strides Jermaine Johnson and Bryce Huff have made this year -- have meant that opportunities to make an impact have been few and far between.

Center Joe Tippmann

While Tippmann is regarded as the Jets’ center of the future, he’s been starting at right guard since Duane Brown landed on Injured Reserve and holding his own. In four starts, Tippmann has done a solid job as a run blocker and didn’t give up a sack but had one holding penalty. Unfortunately for Tippmann, he suffered a thigh injury in the win over the Eagles and may miss multiple games as a result. It’s been an encouraging start for the second-round pick, though.

Offensive tackle Carter Warren

Warren began the season on Injured Reserve but was recently added to the 53-man roster following the injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker. Warren was active for the first time on Sunday but didn’t get on the field. The Jets may work him in on special teams, but it’s probably unlikely that he’ll get much of an opportunity to play on offense in 2023. Even if the Jets have further injury issues, they’ll probably elevate more experienced players into a rotational role because Warren’s camp and preseason were cut short due to his injuries.

Running back Israel Abanikanda

Abanikanda has been a healthy scratch all season and that may continue as long as Breece Hall, Dalvin Cook and Michael Carter don’t miss time due to injuries. Abanikanda showed some promise as a ball carrier in preseason but probably still needs to work on the nuances of the passing game, especially pass protection, before the Jets will trust him to take on a role. Cook has been struggling, though, so there are calls among the fanbase to cut ties with the veteran and give the fifth-round pick a shot.

Linebacker Zaire Barnes

Barnes has also been a healthy scratch every week with the Jets trusting the likes of Chazz Surratt and Sam Eguavoen to be active ahead of him because of their experience and special teams abilities. During preseason, the sixth-round pick Barnes made some impact plays, but his inexperience was exploited at times. The Jets likely still consider that he has a bright future ahead of him, but he might not crack the rotation this season.

Defensive back Jarrick Bernard-Converse

Bernard-Converse was on the PUP list throughout training camp and preseason but was recently activated for practice. This gives the team three weeks to decide whether to add him to the 53-man roster or leave him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. With players like Bryce Hall and Craig James having stepped up, it might be difficult to find someone that could be released to make room for the rookie -- although Adrian Amos only played one snap against the Eagles, so maybe he could be the one to make way if the team is determined to add Bernard-Converse into the mix. It’s not even clear what the versatile sixth-rounder’s role would be at this stage, so that may be resolved next season.

Tight end Zack Kuntz

After an underwhelming preseason, Kuntz didn’t make it through final cuts and is currently on the Jets’ practice squad. He’s a player with a lot of athletic potential but the Jets have good depth at the tight end position and, even in the event of the injury, could opt to activate Kenny Yeboah from injured reserve rather than signing the rookie to the roster.

Undrafted rookie recap

The saving grace of this year’s rookie class has been wide receiver and return specialist Xavier Gipson. On opening day, Gipson scored the winning touchdown on a punt return and since then he’s done well in the return game and seen his role increase on offense with 35 yards generated on four touches so far. He did have a couple of fumbles in Denver, but the Jets clearly love his playmaking potential and are seeking to expand his role.

The only other undrafted rookie on the roster at the moment is another receiver, Jason Brownlee. He’s been a healthy scratch every week so far after an impressive preseason, but perhaps is closer to seeing action now that Mecole Hardman has been traded. There are also three undrafted rookies on the practice squad.

Conclusions

The Jets aced the 2022 draft, and that was always going to be tough to live up to with the 2023 class. However, they can be encouraged by the potential displayed by this year’s rookies -- even those who have yet to contribute. New York clearly has a deeper squad this year, making it harder for any rookies to make their mark.

Ultimately, the success of this class might hinge on McDonald and the Jets might not see the best of him until next season. Hopefully for the Jets, he can display a few more flashes of his capabilities after the bye week, though.