New York Jets: Three Less Likely to Make the Team After the NFL Draft

The NFL Draft impacted some players on the Jets roster more than others. Let's take a look at three players who are less likely to make the final roster than they were a week ago. This doesn't mean they will be preseason cuts. It does not even mean it is likely they will be preseason cuts. It simply means the odds went up.

Shaq Evans

Evans took what amounted to a medical redshirt as a rookie. He comes back to a crowded group of receivers. There are three players ahead of him on the depth chart with legit NFL resumes in Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, and Jeremy Kerley. Devin Smith will also likely start camp ahead of him. A second round pick of the current regime is going to outrank a fourth round pick of a previous regime. Evans might need to figure out a way to pitch in on special teams to earn his spot. He also might be saved if Chan Gailey wants to install an offense similar to the one he had in Buffalo which frequently loads the field with receivers. The Jets might be inclined to carry more wide receivers than the typical team.

Trevor Reilly

Lorenzo Mauldin just took an outside linebacker spot away. This is not good news for a number of players at the position, but I have my eye on Reilly. The 2014 seventh round pick has something relatively important working against him. He is already 27 years old. He's at or close to his athletic peak, meaning he either needs to start producing now or he might never. A prospect like Reilly has a shorter window to show signs of life than others.

Geno Smith

Now I know this is going to be explosive to some people so let me start off by saying this. I think it is very unlikely Geno Smith does not make the team. I'd probably put the odds at like 85% if I was to take a guess. The drafting of Bryce Petty does, however, create a path where Geno could conceivably play his way off the team. If Geno looks as bad in preseason as he has at points in his first two seasons, he could be in trouble. This also would require Petty to be a very quick learner and take to an NFL playbook immediately. Geno isn't this regime's guy. There also isn't a big incentive to keep three quarterbacks in today's NFL. More and more teams are keeping two because only two are active on gameday. Again, guy who is ready to flip out in the comments for me even suggesting it, I am not saying I think this is likely. I am merely saying there is a pathway. In his first two years, there was no way Geno could play his way off the team. He was going to be on the roster no matter what. Now he's only probably going to be on the roster. There is usually a surprise cut. A year ago, a lot of people didn't think there was a chance Stephen Hill would go. Two years ago, it was Joe McKnight. It's at least conceivable.