6 Jets who should be considered for the protected practice squad

The Jets will be allowed to keep six players on their practice squad from signing with other teams this season.

The practice squad is a lot more important in 2020.

Because of the uncertain ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, any player could be knocked out for a considerable amount of time, meaning teams would have to scramble to find replacements. Typically, teams look to free agency or trades to fill gaps, but they can also sign players off another team’s practice squad if they deem him talented enough for their roster.

But with the uncertainty of how, when or whom the virus will affect, the NFL and NFLPA agreed that teams can protect up to four practice squad players each week from poaching, according to The Washington Post’s Mark Maske. Not only that, but teams can also now add 16 players to the practice squad – up from 10 this past season – and six players can have an unlimited number of accrued seasons, according to The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones.

So when the Jets look at their protected players, they’ll need to identify two attributes: Which players are the most talented/have the most potential and which players play a position the Jets may need a contingency plan for injuries strike. Ideally, all four players would accomplish both goals for the Jets, but that’s a tall order to fill with a limited number of protected spots.

With these new rules in mind, let’s take a look at six candidates for the protected practice squad status.

QB David Fales

We’ve already talked about how Fales is the Jets’ best quarantine quarterback option, so it only makes sense he should be considered for the protected player slot. If anything happens to Sam Darnold this season, the Jets need an immediate quarterback available to play. Currently, they don’t have that behind Darnold. Joe Flacco won’t be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from injury and rookie James Morgan is still a work in progress.

While Fales isn’t a great option as an emergency quarterback, he does have experience in Adam Gase’s system and would be able to start in a pinch if the Jets lose Darnold for whatever reason. It wouldn’t be pretty, but it would be better than nothing.

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2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Safety

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s safety room with training camp and the 2020 season approaching.

With the NFLPA player reps officially approving the NFL’s proposal and training camp just a short ways away, it’s time to take a closer look at the makeup of the Jets’ roster entering the 2020 season.

After trading away Jamal Adams in a blockbuster deal to Seattle on Saturday, the Jets are left with a trio of safeties who can all contribute immediately. Marcus Maye is coming off one of the best seasons of his career after an injury-plagued 2018 left him with just six games. The newly acquired Bradley McDougald was a leader in Seattle’s secondary, making his mark as a sure tackler and box safety for the Seahawks. As for Ashtyn Davis, the versatile chess piece figures to play himself into the equation.

As training camp and the beginning of the regular season inch closer, Jets Wire will provide a look at each of New York’s position groups and what could be in store for the unit in 2020. Let’s break down the safety room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

With Adams’ departure, Maye is the team’s longest-tenured safety and figures to maintain his position as Gregg Williams’ centerfielder playing deep.

Maye finished his 2019 campaign with 65 combined tackles, a career-high seven passes defended, one interception and one tackle for a loss. Pro Football Focus graded Maye 17th among the 85 safeties who qualified. He ranked 18th in coverage.

The Jets’ fourth-year safety made his money as the team’s last line of defense. Maye was responsible for some big-time plays in the Jets’ wins over the Cowboys and Steelers. In the Jets’ Week 16 victory over Pittsburgh, Maye made a game-saving play in coverage, breaking up a game-winning touchdown catch from James Washington with less than a minute remaining.

McDougald, meanwhile, figure to replace Adams. He is another player, who Williams can move all around the field, but he figures to be New York’s best complement to Maye.

Over the past two seasons, McDougald has quietly been one of the best man-coverage safeties in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, since 2018, McDougald’s 85.4 man coverage grade ranks fourth among safeties who have played at least 100 snaps of man coverage. Additionally, per PFF, McDougald’s 62.7 passer rating allowed in man coverage ranks fifth among safeties who have been targeted at least 20 times.

Depth

Davis, the Jets’ third-round pick out of Cal, should see plenty of action this season as the Jets groom him to become an eventual starter.

Davis is a versatile speedster with great instincts. While Davis’ home may be as a true centerfielder, he certainly has the speed, range and physical capabilities to play wherever Gang Green needs him to be in 2020 and beyond. He’s the perfect piece of clay for Williams to mold.

Matthias Farley is currently New York’s backup at the strong safety position, but he’s primarily viewed as a special teams player. Among the other players competing for jobs in the secondary are Bennett Jackson and Anthony Cioffi, who are both likely bubble players.

Outlook

In both Maye and McDougald, New York should have two sure-fire tacklers who can be blankets in coverage, assisting a weak cornerback group. Adams is a huge loss, but New York isn’t downgrading too much when considering what McDougald can bring to the table from a coverage standpoint.

Maye, McDougald and Davis have dealt with injuries between their pro and collegiate careers, so it’s good to have three safeties who should all eventually be capable starters.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | MLB | OLB

Jets sign former Rutgers, CFL standout

The Jets have signed free agent safety Anthony Cioffi.

The Jets looked north of the border for their first acquisition of the offseason.

The team announced Thursday that it signed free agent safety Anthony Cioffi. Cioffi spent the last two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League.

In two seasons there, Cioffi recorded 97 tackles, two interceptions, four sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

The 25-year-old went undrafted out of Rutgers in 2017. A Springfield, New Jersey native, Cioffi was teammates with current Jets CB Bless Austin. Cioffi was later signed by the Raiders, who he spent training camp and the preseason with. In the 2017 preseason, Cioffi had six tackles and a forced fumble.