Grading the Jets' 2023-24 season: Players, coaches and the front office
The Jets entered the 2023 season with some experts saying they were a viable Super Bowl contender, but that all came crashing down just four plays in when quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles tear.
Still, the Jets had a winning record after seven weeks for the second straight season. However, they then lost five in a row to drop out of postseason contention.
Despite the struggles down the stretch, New York matched its 2022 win total, and this was driven by some good individual performances.
Here are the grades:
QB Zach Wilson
Wilson was supposed to spend the year developing behind Rodgers as part of what the team was calling “a reset” but ended up forced back into the lineup. His performances against the Chiefs and Texans were arguably the two best of his career, but his overall play was far too inconsistent and ultimately saw him benched. He’s under contract for 2024, but it would not be a surprise to see him moved.
GRADE: D+
RB Breece Hall
Coming off a torn ACL, Hall unexpectedly had a fast start and then, when injuries along the offensive line made the running game ineffective, he became more productive in the passing game. He surpassed 1,500 yards from scrimmage and fell just six yards short of a thousand-yard season, while also leading all NFL running backs in receptions and receiving yards. The Jets generally won whenever he had a big game, underlining his importance.
GRADE: A
RB Dalvin Cook
The Jets spent a not insignificant amount of money on Cook as an insurance policy for Hall, but ultimately didn’t need to use him very much. When he did play, Cook looked pedestrian and failed to break any big plays or score any touchdowns. If he had shown any juice earlier in the season, then perhaps he would have played more, but ultimately Cook never got a chance to shake off the rust.
GRADE: D
TE Tyler Conklin
Conklin was a consistent performer as he caught 61 passes for a career-high 621 yards. However, he didn’t score a touchdown all season and his blocking can be hit and miss. He’s a reliable safety valve who could produce more with better play at the quarterback position.
GRADE: B-
WR Garrett Wilson
Wilson clearly found the 2023 season frustrating, but showcased his spectacular hands, route-running and abilities after the catch all year as he impressively surpassed the thousand-yard mark once again despite the Jets’ passing game struggles. While his numbers were similar to last year, it felt like he took his game to another level despite increased levels of defensive attention.
GRADE: A
WR Allen Lazard
Lazard was one of the Jets’ most expensive offseason additions, but he struggled so badly that he was a healthy scratch twice in the second half of the season. His drop rate was worse than it has ever been. In his last seven appearances, he had just six catches for 56 yards on 20 targets.
GRADE: D-
WR/KR/PR Xavier Gipson
The undrafted Gipson made a name for himself when he won the opener for the Jets on a punt return, but over the course of the season, he was inconsistent in the return game and made more of an impact on offense. Lining up primarily in the slot, Gipson played almost 500 snaps and contributed close to 300 yards on 29 touches to potentially establish himself as someone who could be an offensive contributor in the longer term, rather than just a specialist.
GRADE: C+
OT Mekhi Becton
After missing almost all of the last two seasons with injuries, Becton started a career-high 16 games and played almost 1,000 snaps. However, he struggled at times with his penalty count and his sacks allowed were unacceptably high. The Jets know that he would be more effective behind a veteran quarterback who gets the ball out quickly, but will need to decide if he can be relied on.
GRADE: C+
G Laken Tomlinson
Once again, Tomlinson was the only mainstay on the offensive line as he didn’t miss a snap all season. That durability is a trait the Jets desperately covet, but they would prefer Tomlinson to be more consistent. He gave up a career-worst seven sacks in 2023, having previously never given up more than four.
GRADE: C-
C Joe Tippmann
The rookie initially filled in at right guard but then moved to center and handled those duties well. The Jets view him as their long-term solution at the center position and he settled down nicely to show some of his potential as a run blocker.
GRADE: B-
DE John Franklin-Myers
Franklin-Myers only had 3.5 sacks in 2023 but, while he didn't put up big numbers, he’s one of the most dependable players the Jets have and a crucial part of their defensive system. Some analysts might suggest he’s overpaid and should have his deal restructured, but the Jets likely value him more than is widely acknowledged.
GRADE: B-
DE Bryce Huff
Huff’s role changed in 2023, as he transitioned from being a pass rush specialist to someone who was a major part of the defensive rotation. He held up well against the run and kept up his excellent pressure rates despite the increased workload. Huff’s two sacks in the season finale gave him 10 on the year, but he’s set for free agency and will be expensive to bring back.
GRADE: A-
DE Jermaine Johnson
Johnson’s role increased dramatically this season, as he established himself as a starter and an impact player. He ended the season with 7.5 sacks but also showcased his athleticism with consistent play against the run, a pick-six and a blocked punt. He has said he isn’t satisfied, though, and expects more from himself in 2024-24.
GRADE: B
DT Quinnen Williams
Williams didn’t match his 12-sack 2022 season, but he was deservedly named as a Pro-Bowler once again. He ended the year with 5.5 sacks but had a career-high 62 tackles, adding an interception and a safety.
GRADE: A
DT Quinton Jefferson
Jefferson was a solid free-agent addition who showed up to camp in great shape and racked up a career-high six sacks. He missed the last three games and the team seemed to miss him despite winning two of those three, so they’ll be keen to bring him back.
GRADE: B-
LB C.J. Mosley
While he wasn’t named to the Pro Bowl this season, Mosley was again excellent as the anchor of the Jets’ defensive unit, leading them with 152 tackles.
GRADE: A-
LB Quincy Williams
Williams was named Team MVP after showing excellent development in his fourth season and cutting out some of the mistakes that had limited him in the past. He intercepted the first pass of his career, led the team with 15 tackles for loss, and also set career marks for total tackles and passes defensed.
GRADE: A-
S Jordan Whitehead
Whitehead led the Jets in interceptions with four, although three of these came against the Bills in Week 1. He made some costly mistakes during the year in terms of missed tackles and penalties, but his communication in the secondary is viewed as important.
GRADE: C
S Tony Adams
As an undrafted rookie last season, Adams didn’t play much. But when Chuck Clark was injured during training camp this season, the youngster stepped up and ended up in a full-time starting role. He proved himself worthy, with three interceptions -- including one that was the key play in the Jets’ first-ever win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
GRADE: B-
CB Sauce Gardner
Gardner had another outstanding season with sparkling coverage numbers, including a team-high 11 pass breakups, and was deservedly named to his second-straight Pro Bowl. He didn’t manage to intercept a pass all year, though.
GRADE: A
CB D.J. Reed
Reed is sometimes overshadowed by Gardner, but had yet another outstanding season, holding his own on the outside. As with Gardner, the Jets would like to see him intercept more passes, as he has just two in two seasons.
GRADE: A-
CB Michael Carter II
Carter’s contributions to the Jets’ defense are underappreciated in the same way as those of Franklin-Myers. His coverage numbers in the slot are among the best in the league, and he also steps into the box as an extra linebacker to make contributions against the run.
GRADE: A-
K Greg Zuerlein
The veteran had another outstanding season and was responsible for two of the Jets’ wins with clutch kicks against the Giants and Commanders. The Jets should view bringing him back in free agency as a priority.
GRADE: A
P Thomas Morstead
Morstead could also be a priority after an impressive season that saw him down several punts near the goal line. While he perhaps outkicked his coverage from time to time, notably in the Chargers game, Morstead’s consistency has been much better than his predecessor, Braden Mann.
GRADE: A-
GM Joe Douglas
You can certainly have sympathy with Douglas after so many crucial injuries disrupted the team’s plans for the 2023-24 season. Critics will say he should have done more to provide offensive line depth, but the sheer number of injuries would have been difficult for anyone to predict. Top draft pick Will McDonald’s lack of playing time and production counts against Douglas for some people, but that pick could still pay off in the long run -- and the success of the Tippmann pick helps to offset it.
GRADE: C+
Head coach Robert Saleh
To win seven games without Rodgers was arguably an overachievement from the Jets, but critics of Saleh will have concerns about player development, locker room chemistry and short-and long-term strategizing. Since he comes from a defensive background, it’s notable that the defense carried the team for most of the year and seemed motivated to the end of the season, but there were a few late-season games where the entire team came out flat.
GRADE: C-
OC Nathaniel Hackett
The Jets’ offensive struggles all season were more of a personnel issue than being attributable to play selection deficiencies. However, Hackett failed to impress in terms of finding creative ways to make the offense operate in spite of their weaknesses, and the team was bad on third down and in the red zone. If not for his relationship with Rodgers, Hackett might not still be with the team.
GRADE: D+
DC Jeff Ulbrich
As noted, the defense carried the Jets at times and was a lot more consistent in terms of their ability to force turnovers this season. Ulbrich did well enough to potentially get some head coach interviews, but the Jets will hope he’ll be around for at least another year.
GRADE: B+
OTHERS
There were plenty of other players who we didn't give a grade to because they played less than half of the season due to injuries. Among them are Rodgers and Alijah Vera-Tucker, who will be key players next season.
We also didn't grade players who only had a minor role. Players like McDonald, Jeremy Ruckert and Jason Brownlee could play bigger roles next season.
OVERALL
You can make a lot of reasonable excuses for the 2023-24 Jets, but the fact is that they blew some winnable games and lost a few others in humiliating fashion. If Rodgers is healthy in 2024, everything could be different.
GRADE: C-
