New York Jets: Who Are the Locks?

We enter the final preseason game tomorrow night. It is the last chance for players to make an impression on the coaching staff before the team cuts from 75 to 53. Sheldon Richardson will begin the season suspended. Stevan Ridley will probably begin the season on the PUP list so they don't count.

Monday Todd Bowles said this when asked how many roster spots are locked in.

It has to be in the forties. I couldn’t tell you if it was upper or lower, but it has to be in the forties.

Let's be conservative and say it is forty. I would guess the following players.

Quarterback

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick

2. Geno Smith

3, Bryce Petty

The winner of tomorrow's duel between Matt Flynn and Josh Johnson takes the fourth spot and the right to serve as Fitzpatrick's backup until Geno Smith returns. Then that player will be promptly cut.

Running Back

4, Chris Ivory

5. Zac Stacy

6. Bilal Powell

The question is whether they decide to keep a fullback, Tommy Bohanon.

Wide Receiver

7. Brandon Marshall

8. Eric Decker

9. Jeremy Kerley

10. Quincy Enunwa

11. Chris Owusu

12. Devin Smith

Does Walter Powell have another big punt return in him? The team could keep him, but Kerley is the fallback option.

Tight End

13. Jeff Cumberland

Offensive Line

14. D'Brickashaw Ferguson

15. James Carpenter

16. Nick Mangold

17. Willie Colon

18. Breno Giacomini

I'm not listing anybody else as a lock because the rest presumably had a chance to win the right guard spot.

Defensive Line

19. Muhammad Wilkerson

20. Damon Harrison

21. Leonard Williams

22. Leger Douzable

Richardson is suspended because he doesn't count. I think T.J. Barnes makes it because the team will need a backup nose tackle. Deon Simon can be snuck onto the practice squad. I think the Jets would keep one to two of the remaining linemen.

Linebacker

23. David Harris

24. Demario Davis

25. Calvin Pace

26. Quinton Coples

27. Lorenzo Mauldin

28. Jason Babin

I'm not certain which backup inside linebackers stick.

Cornerback

29. Darrelle Revis

30. Antonio Cromartie

31. Buster Skrine

32. Marcus Williams

33. Dee Milliner

34. Dexter McDougle

I'd be really surprised if this was not the group of corners the Jets took into the season.

Safety

35. Calvin Pryor

36. Marcus Gilchrist

37. Jaiquawn Jarrett

I think Rontez Miles makes it too.

Special Teams

38. Nick Folk

39. Ryan Quigley

40. Tanner Purdum

Obviously.