Joe Douglas spent the entire offseason revamping the Jets’ roster. He reworked the offensive line, brought back two impact defenders, added two more in free agency, gave Sam Darnold two new weapons to work with and used the NFL draft to address any remaining needs.

It’s going to take much more than a few free-agent signings and draft picks for New York to contend in 2020, though.

The Jets’ roster is littered with players who underperformed in 2019 and need to flip the script beginning in Week 1 against the Bills. Some of those players have been with New York for years, while others are new to the organization. Either way, any chance at success in 2020 hinges on eight players being significantly better than they were a year ago.

Let’s take a look at who those players are

Sam Darnold

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It goes without saying that the Jets have a lot riding on Sam Darnold entering 2020. New York needs consistency out of the quarterback position if it wants to contend. That is something Darnold has not been able to bring to the table since his rookie season.

The hope is that year three is the one where Darnold finally takes the leap Adam Gase and company have been waiting for. He has a good enough arm to succeed and the flashes of potential he has shown since 2018 are a testament to the kind of player he can be when he is on his game.

The Jets will go as Darnold goes this upcoming season. If he struggles again, it’s going to be a long year at One Jets Drive.

Le’Veon Bell

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To say Le’Veon Bell endured a rough 2020 season would be an understatement. His first year with the Jets was one of the worst of his career as a rusher and he did not contribute as much as he would have liked in the passing game.

Bell was dealt somewhat of a rough draw upon arriving in the Big Apple. New York’s offensive line play was putrid a year ago and he did not have many holes to run through. It’s a lot to ask of any running back to break off big gains if he is running into a wall of defenders every single play — even one of Bell’s caliber.

There won’t be any more excuses for Bell this upcoming season, though. Joe Douglas dedicated the offseason to revamping the offensive line and the Jets now have a unit that profiles as a competent one. Now that he’ll have some blocking, New York needs Bell to perform like the All-Pro that he once was.

Henry Anderson

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If Henry Anderson wants to stick around with the Jets past 2020, he’s going to have to take his game up a notch once the regular season rolls around.

After a disappointing 2019 campaign, Anderson is on the verge of being usurped by Kyle Phillips and Nathan Shepherd, who both played well while the Stanford product underwhelmed. Considering Phillips and Shepherd are both younger, cheaper and performing at a higher level, that does not exactly bode well for Anderson’s future with New York if he doesn’t turn the tide this upcoming season.

Quinnen Williams

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Quinnen Williams’ rookie season was one filled with ups and downs. He looked like a force in some games, living in opposing backfields. In others, he was a non-factor.

Consistency is always something most rookies struggle with, so there is no reason to panic about Williams’ first year with the Jets. He does need to be a lot better than he was in 2019 if New York hopes to boast another elite run defense this upcoming season, though.

Patrick Onwuasor

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Things did not exactly go as planned for Patrick Onwuasor when he stepped into the Ravens’ starting lineup in place of C.J. Mosley last season.

Onwuasor, who moved from right to left inside linebacker to replace Mosley, underperformed and was quickly relegated to rotational duties, starting only six games for Baltimore in 2019.

The Jets are going to need Onwuasor to put his rough season behind him in a hurry. With Mosley out for the year, Onwuasor will be called upon to help fill the void. New York’s depth at inside linebacker is a strong suit, but given Onwuasor’s speed and coverage skills, it needs him to be the one to take charge and dictate the majority of the playing time.

Bless Austin

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Bless Austin’s NFL career got off to a roaring start. As soon as he was activated off the PUP list, he stepped into the Jets’ starting lineup and made an instant impact at cornerback. His success was short-lived, though, as he ended the 2020 season in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ doghouse and planted on the bench.

Despite his struggles to end the year, Austin remains an integral part of a cornerback room that lacks depth. New York needs all of its corners to contribute something this upcoming season to have any shot at returning to prominence. That means Austin is going to have to have a short memory figure things out early in the year.

If that doesn’t happen, he’ll find himself back on the sideline in the blink of an eye.

Pierre Desir

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Desir was not necessarily bad for the Colts last season, but he did not perform at the level that earned him a contract extension with the organization.

A lot of this had to with Indianapolis playing a Cover 2-heavy defense. Desir is more of a man cornerback, which placed him at a disadvantage in the Colts’ new scheme.

Playing in a Jets defense that aligns with his strengths should be enough for Desir to get back on track in 2020. New York certainly needs him to do so, as he enters the season as its No. 1 cornerback.

Quincy Wilson

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Wilson found himself in the same position as Pierre Desir last season, as the Colts transition from a man-heavy scheme to a Cover 2 defense attributed to a disappointing 2019 season.

The Florida product made his name with Indianapolis playing as a cornerback who likes to get physical at the line of scrimmage in man coverage. He will once again have the chance to play that way in New York under Gregg Williams. If he can return to performing at the level he did in 2018, Wilson has a good chance of establishing himself as the Jets’ No. 2 cornerback opposite his former teammate.