Getty New York Jets cornerback Javelin Guidry in 2020.
The New York Jets played a stellar preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, winning 27-0.
Despite that, there were still some losers on the Jets’ side of things. Three bubble candidates saw their stock fall during the second preseason game, and each of their roads to the Week 1 roster just got a whole lot tougher after this outing.
3 Top NYJ Fallers During Jets vs. Panthers
3. Nick Bawden (fullback).
Most members of the Jets beat have come to the conclusion that Bawden is a near lock to make the 53-man roster under offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. If that’s going to happen, however, Bawden has to show a lot more than he did on August 12.
The NYJ fullback only logged six offensive snaps against the Panthers according to Pro Football Focus. One of them was a bad holding penalty where Bawden head-locked a tackler to the ground.
Overall, PFF graded Bawden at a 53.0 as a run blocker and a 59.0 in pass protection — which is below average on a scale of 100.
2. Irvin Charles (wide receiver).
Charles was shutout for the second time in Carolina — with one sloppy route on a target from Zach Wilson. The undrafted wideout now has zero catches through two games, and that’s not good for a cut candidate who’s attempting to push for a roster spot.
The 2022 camp standout was on the field for 28 offensive snaps (12 as a receiver, 16 as a run blocker) and he earned a 42.4 from PFF. He was slightly better as a blocker than a receiver, but generally struggled throughout.
Charles’ saving grace was his special teams impact. It wasn’t anything tremendous, but the wide receiver did contribute on four out of six ST units with a 63.6 score.
1. Javelin Guidry & Bryce Hall (cornerbacks).
After putting together a great performance during the Hall of Fame game, Guidry was poor in Carolina. He missed two tackles in the open field and allowed two of three targets for 20 receiving yards.
That added up to a 45.4 grade on PFF — which ranked second-lowest for the Jets defense on Saturday. Even worse for Guidry, he played about the same number of snaps as fellow CB contender Jimmy Moreland, and the latter was one of the top performers against the Panthers.
This was also a losing effort for Hall, who missed the outing with injury. The fourth-year cornerback is on the hot seat in 2023 because of his $2.822 cap hit and his inconsistencies on the gridiron, and preseason absences won’t help his case to make the 53-man squad.
With Brandin Echols suspended for Week 1, the competition is on at backup cornerback. Moreland didn’t have a great first game, but he’s had an incredible camp so far. After this weekend, he’s beginning to push Guidry and Hall for consideration.
Honorable Mentions: UDFA Wide Receivers Jerome Kapp & T.J. Luther Among Others
Time is running low for undrafted wide receivers Jerome Kapp and T.J. Luther. Neither had a reception against the Panthers, and these two were always longshots to make the roster to begin with.
That’s not to say they won’t end up on the practice squad, but their chances of finding a role on the 53-man roster are getting slimmer by the day. The same can be said about running back Damarea Crockett, who has yet to push any of the returning NYJ ball carriers for meaningful snaps.
On the defensive side, D-tackle Marquiss Spencer and safety Marquis Waters have also failed to make an impact so far. Again, these prospects could end up on the practice squad if the Jets see traits worth developing, but any shot of landing a roster spot is slipping away with every unspectacular preseason effort.
Each of these prospects has two more outings to make something happen — assuming they aren’t released sometime before the final cut.