The new NY Jets regime of Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey will be tasked with correcting the many mistakes made by the organization’s previous leadership group. Given the fact that the Jets haven’t had a winning record in nearly a decade, it’s safe to say there will be quite a few errors to clean up.
Not only did former general manager Joe Douglas have an uninspiring draft record outside of his famed 2022 class, but he also had some notable missteps in free agency and on the trade market.
The Jets won five games in 2024 for a reason, and that extends beyond their poor coaching. The team’s roster simply wasn’t as good as it was supposed to be, and the performances of these six players contributed to that.
Let’s take a closer look at six players we can safely call “busts” for the Jets following the 2024 season. Note that this list goes beyond draft busts, covering misfires from free agency and trades as well.
1. Malachi Corley, WR, NY Jets
The Jets hoped that Malachi Corley would be the man to end their dreaded Day 2 wide receiver curse, with expectations that he could serve as the team’s No. 3 wide receiver entering the 2024 season.
Instead, Corley failed to impress in the summer, couldn’t carve out a role on special teams, and spent much of the year as a healthy scratch. Corley finished with just three catches for 16 yards, with his only notable contribution coming on an end around that he “fumbled” one yard short of the end zone.
The fact that Corley wasn’t able to see offensive snaps over the likes of Xavier Gipson, Irvin Charles, and even Brandon Smith doesn’t bode well for his future with the team. There’s still time for him to change the narrative, but most wouldn’t disagree with referring to him as a bust at this stage.
That’s how poorly his rookie season went.
2. Jeremy Ruckert, TE, NY Jets
The Jets will likely revamp their tight end room this offseason, and that could include the only tight end currently under contract with the team, Jeremy Ruckert. A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ruckert just hasn’t developed into the player the Jets hoped he would.
The Long Island native hauled in a career-high 18 catches in 2024 for just 105 yards. He’s yet to score an NFL touchdown, has offered next-to-nothing as a receiver, and has graded out poorly as a run blocker.
The Jets should not only search for an upgrade over Tyler Conklin this offseason, but they would be wise to avoid entering the 2025 season with Ruckert as their TE2. He’s firmly headed toward bust territory.
3. Allen Lazard, WR, NY Jets
We’re not just discussing draft busts on this list. With Aaron Rodgers leaving this offseason, the obvious expectation is that his longtime teammate, Allen Lazard, will join him in looking for a new home.
Thus will end the underwhelming tenure of Lazard in New York. He will finish his Jets career with the dubious distinction of leading the NFL in drop rate for two consecutive seasons. No qualified wide receiver has dropped passes at a higher rate over the last two years than Lazard.
Just two offseasons ago, the Jets signed Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract, giving him more guaranteed money than any wide receiver signed in free agency that year. He will be released in the coming weeks, costing the Jets over $6.5 million in dead cap in 2025.
4. Javon Kinlaw, DT, NY Jets
The Javon Kinlaw signing was a predictable mistake from the start. The former San Francisco 49ers first-round pick had struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, and even when on the field, he was a poor run defender and an average-at-best pass rusher.
That didn’t stop Robert Saleh and the Jets from handing him over $7 million on a one-year deal this past offseason. Kinlaw was expectedly a liability in run defense and didn’t exactly bolster an inconsistent Jets pass rush.
His 53.4 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 79th out of 118 qualified interior defensive linemen, while his 36.4 tackle grade was one of the lowest on the Jets’ roster. This signing went about as poorly as many expected it to go.
5. Tyron Smith, OT, NY Jets
The Tyron Smith signing made sense at the time. The future Hall of Fame left tackle was coming off another All-Pro season and was still one of the best players at his position in the NFL when healthy. The team-friendly contract he signed made the move seem even more prudent.
But as it typically goes with the Jets, even the sensible moves don’t work out. Smith looked like a shell of his former self for most of the year, giving up five sacks and 22 pressures in just 10 games before a neck injury ended his season, and quite possibly his career.
The Jets were happy to hand the left tackle reins to rookie Olu Fashanu following Smith’s injury, though they likely had expected better production from their veteran tackle before that.
6. Haason Reddick, DE, NY Jets
The Haason Reddick trade will go down as one of the worst trades not only in Jets history but in recent NFL history. Much like the Smith signing, it made sense at the time.
Reddick was fresh off his fourth consecutive double-digit sack season and the Jets were looking to improve their pass rush following the loss of Bryce Huff. The expectation was that the team would find a compromise with his contract situation at some point.
That didn’t happen. Reddick held out through training camp and missed half the regular season. Upon his return, Reddick looked rusty and disinterested, finishing with just 1.5 sacks in 10 games. He was statistically one of the least productive pass rushers in the NFL in 2024.
This trade was a complete and utter disaster for the Jets.
