Crimson Tide NFL Rundown: New York Jets

The New York Jets, once headlined by Alabama alum Joe Namath, were one of the first teams to win a Super Bowl, and the first from the AFL. However, since winning Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts, the Jets have had the longest championship drought among Super Bowl-winning teams.

However, the Jets are looking to change that this season, and went all-in with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He's a four-time MVP and a Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers, who traded him to the Jets this offseason. In addition to Rodgers, the Jets offense will be manned by running back Breece Hall and free-agent addition Dalvin Cook. Those two may be the best running back duo in the NFL, although Hall is coming off tearing his ACL during his rookie season.

Additionally, the Jets have one of the league's top young wide receivers, the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Garrett Wilson. He had 1,103 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns last year. The Jets also signed Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard this offseason. His best season with the Packers came in 2022, when he had 788 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He chose to sign with the Jets in part because of his connection with Rodgers.

Defensively, the New York Jets have a superstar at every level, including two former Alabama Crimson Tide standouts. On the line, Quinnen Williams is coming off an All-Pro season. He had 55 total tackles, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, four passes batted down, and 12 tackles for loss last season. Williams was also voted to the Pro Bowl in 2022, and he recently signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension that made him the third highest-paid defensive lineman in the NFL.

Williams was a first-round pick by the Jets in 2019, and has been an anchor for their line since entering the league. During his time at Alabama, he had 91 total tackles, 10 sacks, and one pass batted down. Williams was the primary interior pass rusher for Alabama during its 2018 campaign.

In the linebacking core, CJ Mosely has held down the middle of the Jets defense for three seasons now, being voted to the Pro Bowl along with Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner. He had 158 tackles, five tackles for loss, seven passes defended, one pic, one fumble recovery, and one sack last season.

Mosely, a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, manned the middle of Nick Saban's defense for four years. During his time at Alabama, he had 315 total tackles, six-and-a-half sacks, two forced fumbles, five picks, and three defensive touchdowns.

In the secondary, Gardner was the Defensive Rookie of the Year and selected for the Pro Bowl after tallying 75 total tackles, 20 passes defended, and two interceptions. The Jets seem set for their Super Bowl window defensively, and with Williams and Gardner could be competitive for a while.

The Jets should have a top-ten defense and one of the top rushing attacks in the NFL. Led by Rodgers, anything less than an AFC Championship Game appearance would be considered disappointing.

Active New York Jets

#57 C.J. Mosley, LB
#95 Quinnen Williams, DL

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