Leonard Taylor, Braiden McGregor, Others Make Strong Final Argument for New York Jets Roster Spot

the Jets close out their preseason with a win which players made strong closing Arguments for a roster spot that's what we'll talk about today on lock on Jets you are locked on Jets your daily New York Jets podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day welcome this is the lock on Jets podcast part of the lockon podcast Network your team every day it's Monday August 26th 2024 and I'm your host John B from ganggreennation.com thank you so much for making the show your first listen or first watch every day subscribe to the show for free on YouTube or or wherever you get your podcast so you'll get new episodes as soon as they're posted if you enjoy the show and are listening on a podcast Force please give it a festar review if you're watching on YouTube and enjoy the show give this episode a big thumbs up it helps us out and helps other Jets fans find the show today's episode of lock on Jets is brought to you by FanDuel now through September 22nd all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a 3-we free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV visit fanduel.com loock on to get started well we have one final preseason game to review in 2024 Saturday night the Jets completed a perfect preseason record-wise they finished three and0 as they beat the New York GI Giants 10 to6 at MetLife Stadium the Jets were technically the home team in this game if you care both teams obviously call Met Life Stadium home um so the Jets win all three preseason games games much like the Carolina game I thought it was rather difficult to watch um you know preseason can be a bit of a grind and it can especially be a bit of a grind if you're not getting quality quarterback play or quality offensive line play and you know once you're talking about third fourth string quarterbacks you're not talking about guys who can go through progressions so can make the game Drag but I think there were some positives to take from this game uh for the Jets and I think there were some players who made strong uh statements as strong closing statements to try and make a roster try to make the final roster because the deadline is tomorrow 4M Eastern the Jets need to cut down from 90 players to 53 so you're going to have a lot of guys get cut this game was the last chance for players to really make a statement and I think the Jets especially made there were a number of jets who made statements on the defensive side of the ball and this was a dominant defensive performance of course no doubt aided by Giants offensive futility but hey you know what doesn't matter how bad the other guy is you got to go out and beat them um Tac McKinley I think if there was any doubt he was going to make the roster and I he was a guy I I felt very strongly had a very good chance of making the roster former first round pick by the Falcons in 2017 his career got off to a very good start 13 sacks combined his first two years and ever since then since 2019 he has seven and a half sacks combined since 2019 but he registered two and a half sacks finishing a strong preseason now I think you got to put some context on this you know he was going up against guys who really don't know how to play and you see this all the time in preseason where there's you know a seven-year veteran going up against you know young guys who aren't very good who really are still figuring the game out and of course they're going to have a field day in preseason I mean I I don't think tack McKinley is suddenly gonna become a 10 to 15 sack guy the question is whether he can be a quality rotational piece along the defensive line um you know there are lots of questions with the Jets at the defensive end position right now with h reck out uh McKinley I I think probably If he if he did not already have a roster spot cinched I think he he he guaranteed himself a roster spot with this performance and I think that things were already heading in that direction in part and that's in part because just if you hear how Robert Salah talks about him it seems like Salah Valu is what he brings to the table and this might be U as much as what he brings to the locker room as what he brings on the field you know I'm a guy I'm very critical of the Jets having keeping on the roster is Soloman Thomas and I probably will continue to be critical of the Jets keeping Soloman Thomas but because I don't think he's a great performer on the field but one thing there there's no doubt that Solomon Thomas brings to the table is he's a good locker room guy and I do feel like you need a couple good locker room guys guys around and you know McKinley played his way onto the team you know I think by all accounts he was having a strong training camp a strong preseason two and a half sacks is a heck of a closing statement another strong closing statement came from Braden McGregor who added a pair of sacks of his own and you know McGregor is a guy who's like right on the cus of making the roster fact you know last week when I did my roster projection I said it was like a coin flip between McGregor and ER watts and maybe two sacks maybe that maybe that you know clinches a spot for McGregor maybe that's maybe that's the thing that gets McGregor over the top because I went with watts in my roster projection last week but I said it was really close that was how I viewed it and maybe that flipped it and look I think McGregor is still very much a work in progress you know if you watched that game I don't think like what he did is going to be repeatable against higher caliber opposition I don't think if you put him in against starters he's going to be able to dominate like that because it just felt to me like watching him like it wasn't about technique it was just he physically overwhelmed his opponent and I'm not saying that to take anything away from McGregor because part of the reason you know he's worth keeping around either on the roster or on the practice squad is his ability you know are those physical tools and if you combine those physical tools with a more refined player and look most undrafted free agents don't enter the NFL with a refined game you know a lot of them are Works in progress so this this is nothing you know again this is nothing to criticize McGregor it just where he is right now the fact he shows you those physical tools the fact he can overwhelm a practice squad level opponent that shows you that you know he's worth trying to develop and this you know this game was maybe a reminder of that you know is he ready to play right now is he ready to contribute this year I would guess no but maybe if you work with him maybe you can get there now a guy who has really impressed me through the preseason Leonard Taylor another half another sack and a half a tackle for a loss in this game I actually do think Leonard Taylor might be able to contribute to this team and through the preseason we've talked a lot about Leonard Taylor he had that outstanding first game against the commanders then a little quieter against Carolina and I mentioned you know I felt like he just needed to dominate in preseason to maybe scare the Jets into thinking you know what we might not be able this guy was so good we may not be able to keep him on the practice squad and for me that was always kind of the theory behind Leonard Taylor potentially making the team it was be the Jets would have to get scared that they wouldn't be able to keep them on the practice squad well I have a new theory for Leonard Taylor take making the team I actually think he's one of the 53 best guys on the roster and I was not expecting to say that entering the preseason you know he Taylor was getting a lot of Buzz leading into the preseason games you know there there was there was talk about him doing well in training camp but there's lots of Buzz there there's Buzz about a lot of guys every year and a lot of lot of it just doesn't pan out a lot of it's team trying to Hype up its own guys some of this like whenever you hear a guy whenever you hear about an undrafted free agent getting buzz in training camp a lot of times the the teams the teams float putting it out there to try to make themselves look smart like oh look at this great undrafted free agent steel we got and usually it doesn't pan out but you know I mentioned you know I don't think McGregor's there yet I think McGregor's got tools and it's worth keeping Leonard Taylor look at his hand usage look look at his pass rushing moves I mean that's repeatable you know physically overwhelming an opponent not that's not repeatable against NFL you know NFL starters because NFL starters are very physically gifted you know you have to use technique to beat NFL starters because everybody's you everybody's really big and strong and athletic um Taylor's technique to me looks de like I think he actually might be a decent rotational guy as a rookie we'll see I mean you know there's always the question when you go up to about when you elevate the competition level when you're playing a higher caliber opponent but the stuff I'm seeing I think it's repeatable I I mean I think he should make the team I I actually I I think the Jets probably can get into the practice squad because you know we kind of overestimate how the the rest of the league is going to Value guys the Jets cut you see this every year where people project like Five Guys the Jets cut are gonna get claimed on waivers it usually doesn't happen um I think the Jets and frankly I don't think the league really Scouts preseason games that closely I think that's part of it I think teams should should do a better job scouting preseason games I think that's part of the reason you know there aren't as many waiver claims as there might be but beyond that like I think maybe they can get him on the practice squad but I think he's one of the 53 best guys I think he should be on the team and one last guy a guy who I think is was really on the cusp zire Barnes seven led the Jets seven tackles half a sack you know it's there aren't many spots at linebacker you know it's it's one of the one of the pros of having a roster that looks pretty good this year is that the Jets don't have as many available spots you know the Jets probably you know last week I went through it and I thought like the Jets had four locks at linebacker the question is whether Barnes could be the fifth guy well I don't know what else he could have done you know he made a strong closing statements now it's you know in the Jets hands and on the lock down Jets podcast we'll turn our attention to offense look it was not a big night for the Jets on offense they only scored 10 points there were a couple of guys who made a case to for the Jets to keep them on the 503 man roster and we'll talk about who they are continuing here on this Monday edition of lock on Jets today's episode of lock on Jets is brought to you by LinkedIn when you're hiring for your small business you want to 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MetLife Stadium Saturday nights not a particularly exciting game many preseason games are not it was a chance I think more than anything for players to make a closing argument for why they should make the 53 man roster you know the the end result we don't we don't care about like whether the Jets went three and0 in preseason I mean I guess it's better that they won that they then they lost but it's really more about individual performances and I think a guy who you know is very much on the bubble who did as much as he could to try and earn a roster spot is I aanac a running back seconde guy out of Pittsburgh it was a fifth round pick last year and heading into the off season a lot of people had him kind of penciled in as the number two running back behind Bree Hall and Funny Thing Happened on the Way to IIA banaka being the Jets number two back the Jets drafted braen Allen and Isaiah Davis on day three of this year's NFL draft and if you were watching this game it was clear that like the Jets held out their key players you know that's not a surprise we talked about it on Friday's show how Robert Salah had announced the Jets were holding out key players they held out more key players in this game though than they had the previous two weeks Salah indicated they were going to keep the same rotation they actually held out additional guys and among among them were brilin Allen and Isaiah Davis and it's almost like watching this game that the more snaps you got the further down the pecking order you are and the fact is he abanda played in this game it shows you and BR Allen and Isaiah Davis did not it shows you abanda is the number four running back and you know I've said this a couple times on the show and I I'll say it again I don't think the Jets like went into the NFL draft as you're saying we gotta replace this evand I don't think it was like it was like we're doomed if we have isaban Conta that said I don't think you draft two running backs if you think that you have a really highend number two back on your team because it just wouldn't make sense it's not a good not good resource allocation otherwise if you if you think you have a really good number two back it's you know one of the least valuable positions on the field it's not like a position like corner or you know Edge rusher or wide receiver where you just want to have a constant pipe you just can't have enough Good Guys where you just want to constantly have a pipeline of guys you're developing because those positions are so valuable running back's not valuable if you're happy with what you got you're not going to draft somebody um so all this is to say I mean izy abandond is in a tough spot and I'm you know I'm not sure how great he's done in training camp and I'm not sure how great he's done in the preseason prior to Saturday but Saturday he had a big game uh he had a 45 yard touchdown run finishes nine carries 83 yards so you know a couple things about that um first of all he had the big run and sometimes you know sometimes people say well you take out the big run what were his stats I always hate that because you know a big runs a part of the big the most important thing you can do at the running back position you know I you know like yeah you like the guys that grind out five6 yards but look at Bree Hall last year Bree Hall you know struggled on a play- to-play basis and I think it was more the blocking than his ability but you know Bree what Bree Hall brought to the table were the big runs so I don't like you know I don't like the idea of like taking out the big runs but even if he do he averaged 4.75 yards per carry so without that big run all the other runs he averaged 4.7 five yards per carry he showed you know he ran tough he ran through contact I thought he showed good balance he broke a couple tackles on that long touchdown run now it was awful tackling but again you know the other guys trying to make a play even you know you got a team can give you a gift your opponent can give you a gift that doesn't mean you have to take it I mean we've look if you watch the Jets for any amount of time you know that the Jets have been given a lot of gifts that they did not take advantage of through the year so yeah it was bad tackling but is he still broke the tackles he still took it to the house so you know is this enough or is he a bonda to make the team it's tough to say I mean he's facing some headwinds right now it's you know the Jets I don't know that the Jets think he's that good and that's you know I mean that's just a function of him being the number four back on the team right now it's a function of the Jets drafting two backs this year yeah not not necessarily that we not necessarily that they dislike him so much that they said we had to get two guys but just more I think like if you were high on is he abandon cond that probably would prevent you from using a resource to draft a draft it back you you'd prioritize another area um you know I don't know again I don't know that this has been the strongest August for him but entering Saturday I don't know there's there's much more he could have done I've said this on the show and I'm not trying to be hard on him you know last year I watched him in preseason I know he had I know he had a couple big plays but I I never I didn't come away that impressed by him got a few reps late in the season last year did not come away too impressed by him run blocking was awful so maybe that's not fair you know maybe maybe we can't judge on that this was the first time I came away feeling like you know what maybe there's something there maybe this is a player so that's a positive you know how much is it I I don't know another guy I want to mention who I don't think will make the roster but still worth mentioning Brandon Smith another long catch a nice 35 yard catch up in the fourth quarter down the right sideline and you know it would not be the end of the world to me if they kept him on the roster I think he's probably more headed for the practice squad but the Jets receiver room right now does not have a lot a great depth you've got a quality number one in Garrett Wilson you've got a quality number two in Mike Williams if he's healthy and then after that I mean Lazard you can live with as a third guy corle look I I'm not trying to be critical of Malachi Corley I'll just tell you that heading into the preseason my view was we should keep expectations in check with him because I think he's a big project and I did not see a lot in the preseason that changed my mind on that um I think he's a project I don't think the Jets did this kid any favors by the way they raised expectations for him when they drafted him I think he's a project I think it's you know hopefully it's gonna be year two where where it clicks for him but it's a lot to ask you know for where he's starting at to be a big player Xavier Gibson I mean can he improve this year you know there's a lot of talk around the offseason program that Xavier Gibson was turning heads you pay it'd be great if it happens but you know I don't love the depth uh after we get past Garrett and Mike Williams and I mean I don't know if Brandon Smith's Really Gonna Be A guy who makes a ton of big plays but I think he's shown you enough in the preseason that maybe he's worth keeping around as a you know a flyer depth guy um you know weren weren't a lot of big plays for the Jets on offense and most of them in this game came from I abandoned Conta Brandon Smith making a big play you know you like to see that now head you're on the lock on Jets podcast we'll turn our attention to cut down day we'll try and put this game into a bigger context you know what what ultimately does this fourth preseason game mean for guys who are on the Oster bubble that's what we'll talk about continuing here on this Monday edition of lock on Jets today's episode of lockon jets is brought to you by FanDuel you know you've heard me talk a lot 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they win visit fanduel.com lockon to download America's number one sports book again it's Fant this is the lock on Jets podcast on this Monday the Jets beat the Giants 10 to6 in the final preseason game of 2024 you know say what you will about Robert Sal the man does not lose in the preseason um I don't I can't explain why the Jets have been so successful winning games in the Salah era in preseason you know many years it hasn't been because they have the best depth in the league but um they still found they still found a way to end another perfect preseason as they the Giants 10 to six now of course the result of that game doesn't matter as I say once you get to the regular season it matters whether you win or lose in fact that's the that's the big thing I think in in preseason it's more about the individual performance it's more about the position battles it's more about the roster battles it's more how's this rookie looking you know is this rookie looking developed who's surprising us can players who who are playing well in training camp carry that over into games well now the preseason is over and now the Jets need to turn their attention to the roster and tomorrow on tomorrow's show we're going to talk a lot about cut down day what to expect as the Jets face a 400m Eastern deadline to trim their roster from 90 players down to 53 but let's talk about this fourth preseason game and what it means because I think every year there are some surprises when on Cut Down day because there's always some star of the fourth I'm calling it the fourth preseason games there used to be four preseason games um the final preseason game um there's always some star who gets cut and everybody's shocked by it and I think it's important to remember that this is just one game the Jets have been practicing for a month now you know training camp began the Jets had the guys report July 25th it's now August 26th so the Jets coaching staff has gotten to see a month worth of practice they also had two games that came before this so this game matter look I'm not gonna tell you this game is irrelevant when it comes to evaluating players I'm not going to tell you it's completely meaningless but you also have to remember there's a lot that came before it you know you have you need to remember the context is that this is just one game in a long period of evaluation these guys have been watching you know these guys again play for over a month at this point so if a guy was like off the the team if if if the if the guy was off the team and like he wasn't performing in well in Camp and he wasn't performing well in the first couple exhibition games one game is not going to radically change its value especially a game where let's be honest the Giants did not play their a team that much um so you you have to remember this is kind and this this always happens at the end of like regular season too for the Jets is some guy plays a big game week 18 and people act like his trade value will be dramatically different you know like a player really enhance his trade value by playing one good game week 18 it's happens in the regular season too it's just one game it may be the game that's in in our memories the most because it just happens but it's a part of a longer more holistic evaluation process now where can it matter I think it matters when it's like on a knife svage when you're when you have a decision it's like up in the air that's where it could matter and that's why you know that's why I talked about the guys I talked about in the first segment you know I think Braden McGregor probably battling for a roster spot with Eric Watts I mentioned on the show last week that I felt like that was a really close one and that might be the type of thing that tips the scales to McGregor you know Leonard Taylor they may have been you know should we keep them should we not that might be the that performance might be the type of thing that earns L Taylor roster spot whereas with i a banaka you know there's a lot that suggests maybe the Jets don't love maybe JS aren't in love with him maybe look maybe they'll keep him I'm not saying they won't I'm not I'm not here like advocating for izy aananda to be cut I think if he's on the team it's fine I think a lot of a lot of these decisions are are not necessarily all that consequential you have to remember we're deciding you know 47 through 53d players on the roster guys who are probably not g to have big impact this year forever if we're being honest but you know if I if the Jets have decided to move on from I aananda I'm not sure how much of a difference that game's goingon to make now maybe it's maybe is he was look we don't know the Jets have the Jets obviously are not going to expressly tell us who's on the bubble you know makes no sense for them to do that if Izzy was on the bubble maybe that earned him a spot but you have to remember that there's more that goes into it than this and I see this every year like there's some guy that's a stand out in the fourth preseason game and people declare he's on the roster now and I may have just done this myself I may you know if you go back and listen to that first segment there were a couple guys I said I think they made the team uh after this game so I might be in for a surprise tomorrow but you have to remember that there's it's a longer process is that they're not just evaluating this game they're evaluating a month over A month's worth of practices they're evaluating two other preseason they're also evaluating just uh player skill set they're evaluating and that you know you evaluate the skill set through the games and through the practices but they're also trying to figure out what these guys can do and what they'll be capable of doing in the future and it's there's more to it than just this yes yes this is the most recent uh most recent data we've got but I do think there is a recency buy sometimes we we only think we act like only the last thing is what matters and there's much more that goes into it than that and we'll see who we'll see how much this fourth game really mattered tomorrow when the Jets cut their roster down but for now that's all this has been the lock down Jets podcast part of the lockdown podcast Network your team everyday's arm mod as always if you enjoy the show hit the Subscribe button where you're watching you're listening so that you'll never miss an episode if you enjoy the show and you're listenting on a podcast for us please give it a five star review and if you're watching on YouTube and enjoy the show please give this episode a big thumbs up helps us out helps other jents fans find the podcast enjoy your Monday everybody we'll be back tomorrow to talk more chats