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There is still a lot of roster finagling that has to happen before the New York Jets are ready for the upcoming 2022 season.
That includes both adding and removing players from the lineup. With that in mind, a starter from 2021 is very much in danger of getting released.
***UPDATE***
The Jets officially announced the release of veteran tight end Ryan Griffin:
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Simply the Inevitable
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently documented the seven biggest NFL names that could still get cut this offseason.
Former Jets starting tight end Ryan Griffin cracked the list and due to the recent upgrades to the position (CJ Uzomah and Tyler Conklin) Knox argued that he could be “on his way out.”
The 32-year-old just completed his third season with the green and white after signing a free-agent deal during the summer of 2019.
Griffin has played in 42 games, starting in 31 of those contests. He was supposed to bring some juice to the position but has provided anything but:
- 70 catches
- 667 yards
- Seven touchdowns
He has one more year left on his contract through 2022 and Gang Green could save the entirety of his $3.2 million salary by releasing him.
Out With the Old and in With the New
With seven tight ends listed on the official roster, Griffin’s days are clearly numbered. This is more so a situation of when not if, he will be cut by Gang Green.
When the NFL zigged this offseason, general manager Joe Douglas admitted he zagged. At the NFL’s owner meetings, JD revealed that when the wide receiver market got out of control in free agency, the team decided to alter their plans:
“As free agency unfolded and you saw the market going a little crazy at that position (WR), we felt a good pivot was to add some quality tight ends. Maybe they weren’t in that high end of the market but can come in and really help our offense.”
The Jets invested over $45 million at the position with Uzomah (formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals) and Conklin (formerly of the Minnesota Vikings).
To say this new combination is an upgrade over what the Jets had previously would be the understatement of the decade. Gang Green now possesses two dynamic weapons that excel both in the run blocking and passing game.
The Jets haven’t had one, let alone two tight ends that opposing defensive coordinators had to gameplan for since Dustin Keller.
When Conklin was recently asked by the media how much damage he thinks they can do in this offense, he didn’t hold back:
“Unlimited. I think me and CJ can be one of, if not the best tight-end duos [in the NFL].”
When you have a capable tight end they can just open up your offense in so many different ways. They can provide an extra blocker in jumbo sets by the goal-line, chip in pass protection against top pass rushers, and of course be a mismatch nightmare with their size and speed.
Although one of the most important roles they’ll fill is their work in the red zone.
According to Team Rankings, the Jets had the 20th ranked red zone offense in touchdown percentage (54.9 percent).
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