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2022 New York Jets Betting Preview: Picks And Predictions

Nick Galaida Mon 8/22 8:55am PT
Our NFL experts are backing a New York Jets win total prop for 2022.
Image Credit: Imagn

NFL betting expert Nick Galaida takes a look at the 2022 New York Jets and offers a free betting pick on their season win total.

The New York Jets have finished in last place in the AFC East five times in the last six seasons. In 2021, the Jets finished the year 4-13, with the second worst point differential in the entire league (-194). Still, returning Head Coach Robert Saleh and starting quarterback Zach Wilson for their second year together, there is optimism for improved results.

Let’s take a look at their roster unit-by-unit before making any determination about whether or not the Jets have an opportunity to make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2010.

New York Jets 2022 Team Preview

Quarterback

Depth Chart: Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Mike White

In his rookie season, Zach Wilson was arguably the worst starting quarterback in the entire NFL. In 13 games, he threw only nine touchdowns against 11 interceptions while completing only 55.6 percent of his pass attempts.

Per Pro Football Focus, he was significantly worse than league average from a clean pocket, when under pressure, against the blitz, against no blitz, and on third down. His passer rating was worse than league average on throws behind the line of scrimmage, on throws 0 to 9 yards down-the-field, on throws 10 to 19 yards down-the-field, and on throws 20+ yards down-the-field.

He was also responsible for 29 pressures due to his indecisiveness with the football. To make matters worse, Wilson suffered a bone bruise and a torn meniscus in his right knee during New York’s preseason opener. Already behind in his maturation process, losing valuable reps leading up to the regular season does not bode well for the young signal caller’s chances to have a breakout sophomore campaign.

Running Back

Depth Chart: Breece Hall. Michael Carter, Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson

Michael Carter impressed in his rookie year, totaling 639 rushing yards and 325 receiving yards on 183 touches in 14 games. Still, the Jets decided to spend a second-round draft pick on Breece Hall this past summer to bolster this unit. An Iowa State product, Hall carried the ball 531 times during his final two collegiate seasons – scoring 41 times in the process.

Hall is an adept receiver out of the backfield, and has proven his ability to put up strong numbers behind a porous offensive line. In New York, Hall will have three first-round selections blocking for him each week. His ceiling is tremendously high in 2022.

Wide Receiver And Tight Ends

Depth Chart: Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, Garrett Wilson, C.J. Uzomah

Elijah Moore led New York last season with 538 receiving yards, but he was far from an elite receiver. He totaled only five touchdowns and commanded only a 12.5 percent target share for the year, per EdgHouse.

Corey Davis finished second on the team with 492 receiving yards, but was similarly mediocre in comparison to his peers, totaling only four touchdowns and 59 targets.  The Garrett Wilson, out of Ohio State, figures to step-in and make an immediate impact in the passing game for the Jets this fall.

Scouts lauded him for his elite route-running, impressive body control, and ability to be a weapon after the catch. Despite concerns about his physicality, he figures to upgrade this receiving corps – whether that is in the slot or on the outside. C.J. Uzomah is neither great with his hands nor as a run blocker, but figures to see the majority of snaps at tight end this fall for New York.

Offensive Line

Depth Chart: Duane Brown, Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, Alijah Vera-Tucker, George Fant

During training camp, Mekhi Becton suffered an avulsion fracture to his kneecap, which will keep him on the sidelines for the entirety of the upcoming season. Following the injury, New York signed Duane Brown to a two-year, $22 million deal to play left tackle. Per TruMedia, Brown ranked 62nd among 201 qualified lineman in pressure percentage allowed. He was also responsible for eight sacks, which was tied for the ninth most in football, per The Athletic. Still, this unit is far from decimated.

Laken Tomlinson was a first round pick in 2015, and has continued to be one of the better players at his position in recent years, both in the run game and in pass protection.. Connor McGovern had his best season as a professional in 2021, grading as a top-10 run-blocker and a top-15 pass blocker, per Pro Football Focus. Former first-round pick, Alijah Vera-Tucker also figures to be another strong presence in the running game.

If there is any concern on this offensive line beyond Brown, it is the fact that George Fant will be pushed to right tackle. Overall this group has high-end potential, but an indecisive quarterback and the absence of Becton are likely to keep this unit from being elite.

Base 4-3 Defense

Defensive Line

Depth Chart: Carl Lawson, Solomon Thomas, Quinnen Williams, John Franklin-Myers

Quinnen Williams and John Franklin-Myers finished 2021 tied for the team lead with six sacks, hardly an impressive accomplishment. Williams’ ability to get to the quarterback was further overshadowed by his struggles defending the run, which contributed to New York allowing the ninth most yards per attempt in the league last season. Per Pro Football Focus, Solomon Thomas finished 2021 as the fifth worst player at his position, failing to make a positive impact in any area of the game.

Heading into his sixth season, it is safe to assume that Thomas will never live up to the expectations of being selected third overall in the 2017 draft. The Jets are hoping that Carl Lawson will be able to make a positive impact for this group, following a lost season a year ago, due to a torn left Achilles tendon. Lawson produced 20 sacks, 19 tackles-for-losses and 83 quarterback hits in 51 games with the Cincinnati Bengals prior to signing with New York in the 2021 offseason.

Linebackers

Depth Chart: Hamsah Nasirildeen, C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams

The Jets defense was abysmal at all levels last year, but their linebacker corps stood out as especially poor. C.J. Mosley led the team with 168 tackles, but it was partly a product of being one of the worst linebackers in the league in coverage. Quincy Williams has consistently underperformed relative to expectations since being drafted in the third round in 2019, and is likely to continue to be unproductive in 2022.

Kwon Alexander has not had a positive impact for a defense since 2017. Recognizing the paucity of talent in this unit, the Jets shrewdly spent a first round draft pick this past summer on Jermaine Johnson out of Florida State.

Per Pro Football Focus, Johnson delivered multiple pressures in every single game he played in 2021 for the Seminoles, and offers plenty of upside long-term at the position in New York. Still, this projects as one of the worst linebackers groups in the entire league heading into 2022.

Secondary

Depth Chart: Sauce Gardner, Lamarcus Joyner, Jordan Whitehead, D.J. Reed 

Sauce Gardner was arguably the most talented player in the entire draft. Though some pundits will caveat Gardner’s elite collegiate career by saying he played in Cincinnati, there is little doubt that he will be a strong contributor at the next level.

One of the best press-man cornerbacks in all of college football in recent years, Gardner’s massive wingspan and high football IQ figure to go a long way in improving a New York secondary that finished 2021 ranked 29th in passing yards allowed per play.

Pairing Gardner with D.J. Reed Jr. could give the Jets one of the better starting cornerback tandems in the NFL. Reed Jr. has consistently been one of the better cover cornerbacks in the league during his tenure in the NFC West, and figures to help this secondary unit tremendously in his first year in the AFC. Still, Jordan Whitehead and Lamarcus Joyner make this group vulnerable down-the-field. 

2022 New York Jets Outlook and Betting Pick

The Jets won only four games in 2021, with two of those victories coming against the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars – two teams that combined for a 7-27 record. New York has made major upgrades to their secondary, but the loss of Mekhi Becton combined with the preseason injury to Zach Wilson make it unlikely that this team takes a major step forward in 2022. Factor in that the Jets have one of the toughest schedules in the entire NFL, and the under becomes extremely appealing at significant plus-money.