New York Jets Roster: 2014 Final Cuts

The bell has tolled for several NFL hopefuls as the New York Jets announced the cuts of 21 players in order to reach the league imposed maximum of 53 players on the active roster for the regular season. Many of these cuts were expected but a few were surprising. Let's break it down.

QB Matt Simms

Fearless leader John B surmised that the Jets might go with only two active quarterbacks on the roster since the emergency QB is a relic of the past. In the event the Jets (and most other teams) lost both of their QBs, the third stringer isn't even dressed for the game under normal circumstances. Jeremy Kerley or a special teamer would most likely fill in under such dire circumstances.

Simms didn't exactly duplicate his results from last years preseason standout, and the Jets appear to have needed the room elsewhere on the roster. They've seen enough of Simms to know they can't develop him into anything viable. We wish him the best.

Under the new rules, Simms is practice squad eligible. Don't be shocked if the Jets stash him there.

QB Tajh Boyd

Ever since he was drafted he has had practice squad written all over him. There's room for growth, but he looked terrible against 3rd and 4th stringers.

RB Alex Green

Who didn't see this coming after the fumble thursday night? Green didn't get a chance to standout in a crowded backfield.

RB Daryl Richardson

Richardson had some in St.Louis hoping he would be a diamond in the rough. Richardson is looking more like a JAG than a breakout.

WR Stephen Hill

Many held out hope (and some still do) that the athletic beast from Georgia Tech can somehow translate all of that potential into football skill. It just hasn't materialized to date. After an abysmal preseason outing in the backup bowl and getting gassed after one 13 yard reception, it was time to part ways. Hill can still salvage a career, but not until he beats his case of chronic dropseys.

WR Clyde Gates

Perhaps only outdone in fan mythos by Kenrick Ellis, Clyde Gates is frequently referred to both ironically and affectionately as the teams savior. Gates is the caliber of player who expects to be cut and re-signed multiple times a season. He is a role player and depth signing, and unfortunately for Gates he was deemed expendable when weighed against the other options.

TE Chris Pantale

Everybody was rooting for this guy, but most of us knew there just wasn't enough room on the roster to keep him either way. Pantale certainly played his heart out on the field, and I hope he gets another chance in the NFL.

OL - William Campbell. Brent Qvale. Caleb Schlauderaff.

Meh. Schlauderaff was a low level acquisition but no sort of investment that you'll miss. Campbell was a late draft pick and it's disappointing to see him leave, but all of these guys were camp bodies, even the holdovers.

DL - Tevita Finau, Kerry Hyder, Zach Thompson

More camp bodies, more meh. Thompson displayed potential, but not enough to make any of us think he had a shot at making the active roster.

LB - Troy Davis

Davis was a 2013 UDFA who saw some limited playing time before finishing on IR. Davis had virtually no shot of making the active roster.

LB - A.J. Edds

Edds played the most snaps out of any other Jets in the preseason, and he played them quite capably. Edds sealed the game against the Colts with a fumble recovery, and Edds was probably far and away the most visible camp body in the preseason with 19 tackles and a strong showing the the finale against the Eagles. Edds arguably deserves a roster spot somewhere in the NFL and I was disappointed to see him cut. But that's business.

LB - Garrett McIntyre

The backup linebacker and special teamer had made himself a fixture in the Jets rotations for a few years now, so this move may come as a surprise to some who valued McIntyre's presence and the depth he offered.

This move suggests that the Jets liked the potential they saw in Trevor Reilly to keep him over the veteran McIntyre.

DB - Brandon Dixon, Rontez Miles, Johnny Patrick, Dimitri Patterson, Jeremy Reeves.

Dixon was a sixth rounder in this years draft so it's disappointing that he isn't making the active roster, but that's what the practice squad is for so long as there's room. Miles was a practice squad player last year and that's exactly what he will be again this season. Patrick and Reeves were camp bodies and calling them roster long shots would have been an understatement. If you don't already know the Patterson story you can read a handsome young writers send-off to him here. Patterson is the most shocking move and it's really not that shocking at all. When you can't do your job and you call your boss a liar, the writing is kind of on the wall for you.

Antwan Barnes to Reserve/PUP

The Jets like the injured Barnes enough to stash him on reserves. When healthy, Barnes has excellent pass rushing potential.

What are your thoughts? Are there any players you didn't want cut that were? How about players you wanted cut that weren't?