Jets Depth Chart Entering Training Camp: Who's Starting, Who's on the Bubble?

The Jets finally opened training camp on Saturday, with rookies reporting to Florham Park, followed by veterans on Tuesday, shining a light on a roster many expect to be far improved over last season.

As head coach Aaron Glenn gets set to begin an extremely important second year at the helm, he'll also take on new responsibilities as the team's play-caller on defense. All of this shows that the former Pro Bowl corner is on the hot seat coming into the 2026 NFL season.

Luckily for Glenn, the talent he gets to work with is deeper and more balanced than in his first season on the job. Case in point: an early look at the team's depth chart shows the organization appears to be much better on paper.

With fewer surprises going into August today, we'll look at what the Jets' depth chart looks like at this point at each position and which players find themselves on the bubble.

Quarterback

Starter: Geno Smith
Backup: Bailey Zappe, Cade Klubnik
On the bubble: Brady Cook

Like many positions on this list, there aren't many surprises. Geno Smith is going to be the starting quarterback, and the competition between Bailey Zappe, Cade Klubnik and Brady Cook will be a hotly contested debate throughout August.

Of the three backups who seem more "on the bubble" than others, Cook is probably the easiest one to predict. Zappe has starting experience, and Klubnik was just drafted. There's also a chance that this list changes if none of the current backups step up in a needed way. The Jets could simply bring in another veteran later on in camp.

Running back

Starter: Breece Hall
Backup: Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwangwu
On the bubble: Sam Scott, Chip Trayanum

Breece Hall is coming off his first 1,000-yard season as a runner and remains one of the team's most important pieces going into 2026. Finding a quality backup for him, though, will be important with Braelon Allen fully healthy and Isaiah Davis coming off an efficient year. Don't sleep on Kene Nwangwu as one of the better returners in the game as well.

Breece Hall runs. — To no one's surprise, Breece Hall will lead the Jets' running back room again in 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not every team willingly keeps four running backs on a 53-man roster, but camp will determine just how good the combination of Allen and Davis is behind Hall.

Wide receiver

Starters: Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr.
Backup: Isaiah Williams, Arian Smith
On the bubble: Caullin Lacy, Malik McClain, Tim Patrick, Jamaal Pritchett, Gee Scott, DT Sheffield, Jalen Walthall

Every year, it seems like there's an undrafted or underrated player that steps up at receiver and earns a spot on the 53-man roster. This year might just be the first time it simply doesn't, though. With Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and Omar Cooper Jr. operating as the starting trio, there will be very few chances for players on the bubble to show out.

Then there's the other reality that Isaiah Williams was the highest-rated returner by Pro Football Focus, and Arian Smith turned into a quality gunner on special teams as well. If those roles remain the same, there doesn't appear to be a spot for a sixth receiver at this point.

Tight end

Starter: Mason Taylor
Backup: Jeremy Ruckert, Kenyon Sadiq, Andrew Beck
On the bubble: Jelani Woods, Chase Curtis

This is the group that will be the most volatile this training camp.

As of now, Mason Taylor is going to be the penciled-in starter due to the fact that he was a top receiving target last year. Jeremy Ruckert is the organization's blocking tight end as well. The player that will alter how this group looks, though, is first-round rookie Kenyon Sadiq. He'll need time to integrate into the offense after missing organized team activities following hernia surgery. But when healthy, he should be able to be an immediate contributor with Taylor.

.@oregonfootball TE Kenyon Sadiq made the most of every rep at the NFL Combine 🦆 pic.twitter.com/JQRyQaJ8rA
— NFL (@NFL) March 6, 2026

That does make things harder for Jelani Woods to show out. New York may not want to keep five tight ends if they believe in bringing back Beck as well. This will be one of the most-watched rooms throughout camp.

Offensive line

Starters: Olu Fashanu, Dylan Parham, Josh Myers, Joe Tippmann, Armand Membou
Backups: Max Mitchell, Xavier Newman, Chukwuma Okorafor, Anez Cooper
On the bubble: Kohl Levao, Landon Young, Courtland Ford, Marquis Hayes, Xavier Hill

There are no camp battles at center or surprises that could happen along the offensive line. New York knows who their starting five will be and who the first four off the bench are expected to be as well. That kind of continuity is important, especially for a young group such as this. The more they play together, the better off they will be.

EDGE

Starters: Will McDonald IV, Joseph Ossai
Backups: David Bailey, Kingsley Enagbare
On the bubble: Braiden McGregor, Eric Watts, Tyler Baron, Kingsley Jonathan

If the Jets are leading late in a game this year, the combination of Will McDonald IV and David Bailey will be on the field together. If it's early and the team needs to stop the run, the two quality edge rushers won't be on the field together.

It's that simple. New York's rotation along the edge will be heavily based on the situation during games. Kingsley Enagbare and Joseph Ossai are quality run defenders and were brought in to be upgrades over the previous collection of role players the team was dealing with.

It's hard to envision a fifth edge rusher earning a spot right now as well. All eyes will, instead, be on the second overall pick in Bailey and whether he can be more than the situational edge rusher that McDonald has become.

Interior defensive line

Starters: T'Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata, Harrison Phillips
Backups: Jowon Briggs, Darrell Jackson Jr.
On the bubble: Mazi Smith, Payton Page, Jack Heflin

Harrison Phillips no helme — Harrison Phillips will, once again, be a key cog in the interior of the Jets' defensive line. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Much like at edge rusher, whoever the Jets "start" with along the interior of their line will change based on the situation in the game. If New York has a lead, a quality pass rusher like Jowon Briggs will get more reps compared to David Onyemata or T'Vondre Sweat.

Should the Jets fall behind and need to stop the run, Sweat and the former Falcon/Saint will be on the field even more. Keeping five interior linemen to rotate was always the plan for Gang Green as well.

Linebacker

Starters: Jamien Sherwood, Demario Davis
Backups: Kiko Mauigoa, Mykal Walker, Marcelino McCrary-Ball
On the bubble: Chase Wilson, Jaden Keller

Again, New York's starters are relatively set; it's only a question of what happens in the backup roles. An expected shift to the 3-4 defense means the trio of Mykal Walker, Kiko Mauigoa and Marcelino McCrary-Ball are all going to be fighting to be the immediate backups to Jamien Sherwood and Demario Davis.

Everyone else seems like they are long shots to make the roster.

Cornerback

Starters: Nahshon Wright, Brandon Stephens, Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
Backups: D'Angelo Ponds, AZ Thomas, Qwan'tez Stiggers
On the bubble: Tre Brown, Jordan Clark, Mory Bamba, Samuel Womack III

New York wants to push its competition into the cornerback position with Nahshon Wright and AZ Thomas battling on the boundary while Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and D'Angelo Ponds compete in the slot. If I were to predict who will end up being the starter in Week 1, it's nearly 90% for Wright and about 52% for Brownlee at this point. Stephens is the lone returning player from last training camp, so his role is safe.

As for the players on the bubble, only Tre Brown has looked like someone who could challenge other backups, but the fact that he was invited is much different than the draft picks used to select Thomas and Qwan'tez Stiggers.

The group of six seems like a quality group to role with heading into the 53-man roster.

Safety

Starter: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Andre Cisco
Backup: Malachi Moore, Dane Belton
On the bubble: VJ Payne, Dean Clark, Jarius Monroe, Keidron Smith

Outside of the All-Pro in Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Jets need to determine which players will be on the field with the star safety in base and in pass-happy situations. Andre Cisco appears to be a player the team trusts going into 2026, but don't sleep on Dane Belton's consistency, either.

Andre Cisco jogs off the field. — Will Andre Cisco reward the Jets' trust with a strong training camp showing? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It will be hard for the players on the bubble to make the 53-man roster because of the logjam that now sits in front of them.

Special teams

Starters: Jason Sanders, Austin McNamara, Thomas Hennessy
On the bubble: Cade York, Garrison Grimes

The position battle at kicker will be one of the more important to watch during camp, with Jason Sanders and Cade York competing. Garrison Grimes also being brought in to challenge Thomas Hennessey could lead to a change at long-snapper, making it another battle worth watching.

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