Selecting the 2022 All Ex-Jets Team

Over the past few seasons, we’ve been putting together a team of ex-Jets based on how they had performed with their new teams during the year. Last month we recapped how ex-Jets fared during the 2022 season, so let’s now attempt to put together an all-former Jets team for 2022:

Quarterback - Geno Smith

Already this team has a strong foundation, as Smith gives them a Pro Bowl quarterback. Smith, the comeback player of the year, led the league in completion percentage and ended up with over 4,200 yards and 30 touchdown passes.

(Last year: Teddy Bridgewater)

Running Back - Raheem Mostert

Mostert missed the end of the year due to injury but had a productive season with almost 900 rushing yards and five total touchdowns. Mostert, who also caught 31 passes and returned kickoffs, was ninth in the NFL in all-purpose yardage.

(Last year: Godwin Igwebuike)

Tight Ends - Lawrence Cager and Eric Tomlinson

Cager and Tomlinson gives us a pair of tight ends that complement one another well as Tomlinson - who started 12 games and played over 400 snaps - is a good blocker and Cager is more of a pass-catching threat. Tomlinson caught nine passes for 79 yards and two scores, while Cager had 15 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown in just seven games.

(Last year: Anthony Firkser)

Wide Receivers - Greg Dortch and Kalif Raymond

Raymond makes this team for the second season in a row as he caught 47 passes and racked up 652 yards from scrimmage. Dortch had a breakout year with 52 catches and just over 500 yards from scrimmage. He added two touchdown receptions.

(Last year: Robby Anderson, Kalif Raymond and Ty Montgomery)

Offensive Line - Morgan Moses and Conor McDermott at tackle, Oday Aboushi and Greg Van Roten at guard, Pat Elflein at center

Ironically, given the Jets’ struggle to stay healthy at the tackle positions during the season, there was a lot of competition for those two spots. Moses started all 17 games and one in the postseason, while McDermott was consistently solid in six late-season starts after being poached from the Jets. Kelvin Beachum, Brandon Shell and Calvin Anderson were all also worthy of consideration.

Aboushi was an obvious selection at guard as he played well and was on the field for 339 snaps despite only starting four games. Van Roten made five starts, playing both guard and center but he was much more consistent at guard.

Josh Andrews and Corey Levin both started multiple games at center, but Elflein gets this spot as he made six starts before getting injured.

(Last season: Tom Compton and Brandon Shell at tackle, Pat Elflein at center, Jesse Davis and Oday Aboushi at guard)

Defensive Tackles - Shelby Harris and Leonard Williams

For the third year in a row, Harris and Williams fill these spots, beating out Foley Fatukasi and Mike Pennel. Williams had 45 tackles and 2.5 sacks but missed some time due to injury. Harris was right behind him on 44 tackles and two sacks after being acquired from Denver in the Russell Wilson trade.

(Last season: Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams and Shelby Harris)

Edge Defenders - Shaq Lawson and Jordan Willis

Lawson wasn’t very productive off the bench in the first half but got to start down the stretch after Von Miller got injured and ended up with 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Willis had 12 tackles and two sacks in nine games.

(Last season: Tarell Basham and Jordan Willis)

Linebackers - Demario Davis, Frankie Luvu and Blake Cashman

Davis earned his first pro bowl with 109 tackles and a career-high 6.5 sacks, while Luvu outproduced him with 111 tackles and seven sacks, along with a pick-six. Cashman, who surprisingly stayed healthy, earns the final spot even though almost half of his 26 tackles came on special teams. He ended up with three sacks despite playing less than 10 snaps per game.

(Last season - Demario Davis and Neville Hewitt)

Cornerbacks - Art Maulet and Rachad Wildgoose

Maulet was a full time nickel with the Steelers, racking up 59 tackles, two sacks and an interception. Wildgoose started three games and played over 200 snaps as he had 16 tackles and three pass breakups.

(Last season: Pierre Desir and Tevaughn Campbell)

Safeties - Jason Pinnock and Marcus Maye

Although he was just a special teamer until midseason, Pinnock stepped into a key role with the Giants and ultimately played almost 500 snaps. He ended up with 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Maye missed several games due to injury but racked up 60 tackles and two pass breakups.

(Last season - Jamal Adams and Andrew Sendejo)

Kicker - Jason Myers

Myers missed just one extra point and three field goals all season, making all seven of his kicks from beyond 50 yards. He hit a game-winner in a late-season game against the Rams.

(Last season - Nick Folk)

Punter - Thomas Morstead

Morstead earns this spot for the second year in a row, as he was actually the only ex-Jets punter to see action but did have a solid year, with similar numbers to Braden Mann.

(Last season - Thomas Morstead)

Long snapper - Patrick Scales

Scales retains this spot after holding down the Bears role all year and matching last season’s career-best by racking up four special teams tackles.

(Last season - Patrick Scales)

Return Specialist - Kalif Raymond/Godwin Igwebuike

Raymond, who is already on the team, was among the league leaders on punt returns with a touchdown against the Jets, while Igwebuike averaged 28 yards per kickoff return after signing for Seattle late in the season.

(Last season - Andre Roberts)

Special Teamers

A ton of former Jets made strong special teams contributions, including Cashman and Maulet who we’ve already mentioned above. This is notable because the Jets’ special teams units regressed in 2022 and they may regret some of their personnel decisions in retrospect. Matthias Farley, Nick Bellore and Del’Shawn Phillips also all made strong contributions in a key special teams role.

Conclusions

With a couple of pro bowlers, several other productive contributors and fewer obvious holes, this team is clearly stronger than it was last season despite players such as Fatukasi, Anderson, Adams and Jamison Crowder not contributing as expected for various reasons.

It’s always interesting to consider what this means in terms of the Jets’ personnel decisions. Does the deeper pool of players reflect more talent passing through the Jets’ organization in recent years or is it a sign they’re releasing more useful players than in the past?