Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets

The 2024 NFL season has been a rigorous test of team depth for the New York Jets, as a wave of injuries and unexpected absences forced the franchise to lean on its reserves more than in recent years. For a team aiming to end a 14-year playoff drought, depth isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity, and the Jets have faced moments where their ability to fill gaps with lesser-known players has directly impacted their win-loss record. From the offensive line to the secondary, no unit has been spared: key starters like left tackle Mekhi Becton, running back Breece Hall, and linebacker C.J. Mosley all missed significant time, putting the spotlight on the Jets’ offseason roster building and player development. How the Jets navigated these tests has revealed both strengths and weaknesses in their depth chart, offering valuable insights into their status as a rising contender. Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets explores the most critical depth challenges, the players who stepped up, and what these moments mean for the Jets’ future.

Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets begins with the offensive line’s depth crisis, which emerged in Week 6 when Becton suffered a high ankle sprain. Becton, the Jets’ starting left tackle since 2020, was protecting quarterback Zach Wilson’s blind side and had been a steadying force for a unit that struggled in 2023. His injury forced the Jets to shuffle their line: veteran right tackle George Fant shifted to left tackle (a position he hadn’t played regularly since 2021), and rookie fourth-round pick Carter Warren was elevated to starting right tackle. Compounding the issue, backup guard Joe Tippmann also missed two games with a knee injury, pushing undrafted free agent Chris Glaser into a rotational role. Early on, the adjustments showed growing pains: the line allowed 10 sacks in the first three games without Becton, and Wilson was under constant pressure. But as the weeks progressed, the reserves found their rhythm—Fant allowed just two sacks in his final eight starts at left tackle, and Warren improved his pass-blocking grade from 58.2 (Week 7) to 76.9 (Week 14) per Pro Football Focus. “The offensive line’s depth was a question mark heading into the season, but our guys answered it,” said offensive line coach John Benton. “George’s versatility and Carter’s willingness to learn kept us competitive, even when things looked bleak.”

A key test of the Jets’ depth came in the running back room, where Hall’s Week 6 knee injury left a void in the ground game. Hall had rushed for 428 yards and three touchdowns in the first five games, establishing himself as the Jets’ primary ball carrier. With him sidelined, the Jets turned to a committee of reserves: Michael Carter (a 2021 fourth-round pick who had fallen out of the rotation), Israel Abanikanda (a 2023 fifth-round pick), and fullback Nick Bawden. Initially, the committee struggled to find consistency—they combined for just 72 rushing yards in a Week 7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. But by Week 9, the group hit its stride: Abanikanda rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown against the New England Patriots, and Carter added 68 yards on 12 carries, helping the Jets control the clock for over 35 minutes. What made the depth test notable was the diversity of skills each back brought: Abanikanda’s power in short-yardage situations, Carter’s speed on outside runs, and Bawden’s blocking in pass plays. “We didn’t have a single replacement for Breece—we had three players who each brought something different,” said running backs coach Taylor Embree. “That diversity turned out to be a strength. Defenses couldn’t key in on one style, and it kept our running game unpredictable.” By the time Hall returned in Week 13, the committee had rushed for 842 yards and five touchdowns, proving the Jets’ running back depth was stronger than many analysts predicted.

A critical aspect of Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets is the secondary’s depth challenge, which unfolded in October when both starting cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed missed time with hamstring injuries. Gardner, a Pro Bowler in 2022, and Reed had formed one of the NFL’s top cornerback duos, limiting opposing wide receivers to a combined 56tch rate in the first four games. Their absences forced the Jets to start nickel cornerback Michael Carter II and undrafted free agent Javelin Guidry on the outside, with rookie seventh-round pick Justin Hardee Jr. handling nickel duties. The depth test was immediate: in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown caught eight passes for 115 yards, exploiting the Jets’ inexperienced corners. But the reserves quickly adapted: Guidry recorded his first career interception in Week 6 against the Browns, and Carter II held Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper to 45 yards on three catches the following week. By the time Gardner and Reed returned in Week 8, the backup corners had helped the secondary allow just 20.3 points per game—down from 24.5 in the first four weeks. “The secondary’s depth was a pleasant surprise,” said defensive coordinator Tony Oden. “Our young corners didn’t fold under pressure—they studied film, asked questions, and got better every week. That’s the mark of a team that takes player development seriously.” For the New York Jets, this test reinforced the value of drafting and developing defensive backs, a position group that had been a weakness just two years prior.

Another important angle of Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets is the linebacker corps’ depth struggle, which highlighted a potential gap in the Jets’ roster building—and how it affected the current New York Jets team. When Mosley (the Jets’ defensive captain and leading tackler) missed four games with a hamstring injury in November, the Jets turned to Quincy Williams (a 2020 third-round pick) and rookie Zaire Barnes (an undrafted free agent) to fill the void. Williams, who had primarily played strongside linebacker, shifted to middle linebacker—a position he hadn’t played since college—and Barnes stepped into Williams’ old role. While Williams performed admirably (recording 38 tackles and two sacks in Mosley’s absence), Barnes struggled with run fits and pass coverage, allowing three receptions for 45 yards in a Week 11 loss to the Chargers. The struggle revealed a depth weakness: the Jets had invested little in backup linebackers during the offseason, relying on undrafted players and position switches instead of signing veteran reserves. “The linebacker depth is an area we need to address,” general manager Joe Douglas admitted in a November press conference. “We got lucky with Quincy’s ability to adapt, but we can’t count on that every year. This test showed us where we need to improve our roster building.” For the New York Jets, the linebacker depth challenge was a reminder that even successful depth tests can expose areas for growth, helping the front office prioritize needs for the 2025 offseason.

Wrapping up Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets is the broader impact of these depth tests on the Jets’ playoff push and long-term roster strategy. By the end of the regular season, the Jets had used 42 different players in at least one start—tied for the sixth-most in the NFL—and their ability to win with reserves had become a defining trait: they went 5-3 in games where at least three starters were inactive, including critical wins over the Browns and Patriots. These wins not only kept the Jets in the playoff hunt (they finished 9-8, just one game short of a wild-card spot) but also gave young players valuable experience that will benefit the team in 2025 and beyond. For example, Warren’s performance at right tackle has led the Jets to consider him a long-term starter, and Abanikanda’s emergence has given the team leverage in contract talks with Hall (an impending free agent). “Depth tests are never easy, but they’re formative,” said head coach Robert Saleh. “They show you what your team is made of, and they turn role players into contributors. This season, our depth didn’t just help us win games—it helped us build a better team for the future.” For the New York Jets, the 2024 season’s depth challenges were more than obstacles—they were opportunities to prove that the franchise’s rebuild is built on a foundation of talent, not just star power. Tests of Team Depth in Season for the New York Jets isn’t just a story about overcoming injuries; it’s a story about a team growing stronger through adversity, one reserve player at a time.