The New York Jets had few question marks at positions entering camp, and despite the focus on the quarterbacks, the main position battle was at kicker.
Otherwise, rookies like DE Quinton Coples, WR Stephen Hill and LB Demario Davis will make the team. It would be a surprise is S Josh Bush, RB Terrance Ganaway and WR Jordan White were cut. The odd man out could be OL Robert Griffin (sixth round) who may be relegated to the practice squad. Last year’s veterans, for the most part, are safe. Free agents Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry are still working their way in the system. The team needs Landry to get and stay healthy.
Each week during preseason, RapidReports will take a position-by-position look at the players we think are likely to make the final cut to 53 on Sept. 2 and those who we think may soon be seeking alternative employment.
QB -- In: (3) Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Greg McElroy. Out: Matt Simms. Analysis: The QBs were set the minute the Jets traded for Tebow. Coach Rex Ryan continually reiterates the fact that Sanchez is the starter, in spite of a lot of conversation about whether he will ultimately lose his job to Tebow. The team has said they will run the wildcat and Tebow will be the likely guy to lead it. How and how often Tebow and the wildcat will be used during the season remains the only question mark.
RB -- In: (4) Shonn Greene, Bilal Powell, Joe McKnight, Terrance Ganaway, John Conner (FB). Out: Jeremy Stewart. Analysis: Greene is entering his second year as the team’s featured back. He has looked more comfortable in training camp but still has trouble catching passes out of the backfield. McKnight can catch those passes, but he can be inconsistent. Powell has looked like a different player, running with authority, breaking tackles and catching passes. He looks to challenge McKnight for the No. 2 spot. Ganaway is young and green, but is a big body going up the middle. Conner was almost invisible last year. Now with the resurgence of the “ground and pound” offense, the Jets should use him more.
WR -- In: (6) Santonio Holmes, Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley, Patrick Turner, Chaz Schilens, Jordan White. Out: Eron Riley, Raymond Webber, Stanley Arukwe, Royce Pollard, Dexter Jackson, Joe Collins. Analysis: Where to start? Injuries have plagued this group since OTAs, and the depth was questionable to start. Holmes is the clear No. 1 and Kerley is solid in the slot, beyond that the Jets are going to have to work around the inexperience of Hill and White, and Schilens’ tendency to be injury-prone. Turner has made great strides but remainsl inconsistent. It may be one of the reasons the Jets are placing so much emphasis on the wildcat.
TE -- In: (3) Dustin Keller, Jeff Cumberland, Josh Baker. Out: Dedrick Epps, Hayden Smith, Tarren Lloyd. Analysis: Keller is entering the last year of his rookie contract and wants a new deal. But it’s unclear if he will be used in Tony Sparano’s system enough to warrant the Jets keeping him. His chemistry with QB Mark Sanchez has always been a solid safety net, but it may not be enough. He will play out the year. Cumberland is back from a torn Achilles and has improved in his blocking and pass catching. Baker is more of a special teams player but can be effective situationally.
OL -- In (8): D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Matt Slauson, Nick Mangold, Brandon Moore, Wayne Hunter, Austin Howard, Caleb Schlauderaff, Vladimir Ducasse. Out: Matt Kroul, Terrence Campbell, Fred Koloto, Paul Cornick, Stephon Heyer, Dennis Landolt, Robert Griffin. Analysis: This unit, one of the best in the NFL in previous years, struggled in 2011. Moore said they weren’t all “on the same page.” Although the same group returns, there have been issues. The team told Slauson on the first night of camp that he would be competing for his starting job. He won the job but took a pay cut and is also serving as the backup center, which he has said previously, is not something he’s comfortable with. Although he hasn’t said anything inflammatory, it’s clear from his refusal to comment that he is unhappy with his situation. Hunter, who didn't have a good 2011, started out well in camp but is dealing with a nagging lower-back issue, forcing Howard, who is vastly improved from 2011, into service. Ducasse remains an unknown. Ryan has said repeatedly that Ducasse has improved and will have a role, but it is unclear what that will be.
DL -- In (6): Mike DeVito, Quinton Coples, Sione Pouha, Muhammad Wilkerson, Kenrick Ellis, Marcus Dixon. Out: Jay Richardson, Martin Tevaseu, Matt Hardison, Damon Harrison. Analysis: In a perfect world, the Jets would probably like to keep Richardson, Tevaseu and Harrison, but it becomes a numbers game. DeVito and Po’uha remain the stalwarts of this defense. DC Mike Pettine said Ellis’ improvement has exceeded expectations and Wilkerson is having one of the best camps of anybody on the team. Rookie Quinton Coples plodded along for the first couple of weeks of training camp and then made a big statement in the first preseason game against the Bengals with five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Dixon is a solid backup and provides them with options in the rotation.
LB -- In (9): David Harris, Bart Scott, Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace, Garrett McIntyre, Nick Bellore, Josh Mauga, Aaron Maybin, Demario Davis. Out. Brett Roy, Marcus Dowtin, Ricky Sapp, Damario Ambrose. Analysis: The Jets have a balance of experience and young talent in this unit. The team’s longest tenured veteran, Bryan Thomas (in his 11th year), was on the bubble coming into training camp after a blown Achilles and shoulder surgery but seems to have recovered well and should provide a solid component in the Jets' rotation. Aaron Maybin is more settled in the defense and should be even more of a factor this year, especially on third down. Rookie Demario Davis, who spent the first week of camp on the active PUP with a hamstring injury, has recovered and has picked up the defense quickly.
DB -- In (10): Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Kyle Wilson, Isaiah Trufant, Ellis Lankster, Josh Bush, LaRon Landry, Yeremiah Bell, Eric Smith, Antonio Allen. Out: Ryan Steed, Julian Posey, Devon Torrence, Donnie Fletcher, Marcus Lott. Analysis: In coach Rex Ryan’s defense, it’s all about the DBs. With Revis and Cromartie continuing to hold down corner, it will remain to be seen if Landry and Bell can step in as the regular starters at safety the way the team hopes. Landry spent much of training camp on a “pitch count” as he recovers from an Achilles injury he suffered last year, but the Jets are hoping he will be fully ready for the regular season opener. This group will see a lot of action in the myriad packages the Jets' defense runs.
Special teams -- In (3): Josh Brown, T.J. Conley, Tanner Purdum. Out: Nick Folk, Derek Chard. Analysis: Brown and Folk were neck-and-neck during training camp -- even special teams coach Mike Westhoff said he doesn’t have a gut feeling on how it would end up. But Folk, with the Jets in 2010 and 2011, has never been consistent enough for Westhoff and given the closeness of the race, it seems likely Westhoff will go for a change.
Stay dialed in on the Jets by following correspondent Lisa Zimmerman on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLNYJ and@LisaZimmerman.