It’s no secret the New York Jets will look a little different this year. After being stuck in the quarterback wilderness for the better part of a decade, the Jets pushed all their chips to the middle of the table with their offseason acquisition of Aaron Rodgers. Here’s a look at some of the weapons Rodgers will rely on this season.
Jets starting tight end: Tyler Conklin
After four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Conklin signed a three-year contract with the Jets last year, and tallied 552 yards receiving in his first season with the Jets. While he struggled a bit wit drops, Conklin served as a solid safety blanket for the Jets’ quarterbacks, and is set for a big season behind Rodgers.
Who is Conklin’s backup on the Jets TE depth chart?
Like Conklin, backup tight end CJ Uzomah signed a three-year, free agent contract with the Jets last offseason. But unlike Conklin, Uzomah’s 2022 season was a bit of a dud, as he finished with 232 yards receiving and two touchdowns, both of which came in week 15. That said, Uzomah turned in two 400+ yards seasons in his seven years with the Bengals, and has a reputation of being a great locker room guy… but he also dealt with a an injury at OTA’s, which opened up the door for Jeremy Ruckert.
Ruckert, a third-round pick in the 2022 draft, only caught one pass last season in what essentially became a redshirt season. It’s not out of the question to think that Ruckert can catch Uzomah, however, as he excelled in his snaps during OTAs, and should get more of a chance to prove himself in training camp and the preseason.