3 players who will have the biggest impact on the Jets' season
Each week, theScore will go division by division, highlighting which three players' performance will most impact their team's season in 2017.
Sheldon Richardson
It comes as no surprise that Richardson's poorest season coincided with the Jets' awful showing last year.
The stud defensive end made headlines last season for all the wrong reasons. He drew a one-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy and was the source of trade rumors. The target of much of his ire, receiver Brandon Marshall, is no longer on the team, giving hope that Richardson can rediscover the play that led to eight sacks in 2014 and five in 2015.
Richardson will be an unrestricted free agent next year, therefore one would believe he'd like to rebuild much of his value with a solid 2017 season. The Jets would benefit greatly from it if he does.
Jamal Adams
New York is in the midst of tearing down its secondary and rebuilding it. The cornerstone of that rebuild is Adams, the sixth overall pick in this year's draft.
With their first two picks, the Jets selected Adams and fellow safety Marcus Maye. It won't be long before both are starting, and head coach Todd Bowles has already relayed as much to incumbent strong safety Calvin Pryor.
Regardless of how much both Adams and Maye play in their rookie year, their contributions will go a long way in determining how the Jets' defense fares in 2017.
Christian Hackenberg
The development of Hackenberg will not only have a major impact on the Jets' 2017 season but on their future plans as well. Is he the next franchise quarterback? That determination will be made based on his performance this year.
The Jets appeared to waste a second-round draft pick in 2016 when they selected Hackenberg and then sat him for the entire season. He has been promised an opportunity to compete for the starting role in 2017, but with a star-studded quarterback class coming in the 2018 NFL Draft, he will likely only be afforded this one season to prove his worth.
If the Penn State product plays poorly and the Jets end the year with a terrible record, they'll be inclined to use a top pick on another quarterback next year.
Also from this series
- 3 players who will have the biggest impact on the Dolphins' season
- 3 players who will have the biggest impact on the Bills' season
- 3 players who will have the biggest impact on the Patriots' season
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)