There’s absolutely no getting around it.\u00a0 The 2020 New York Jets were an awful football team.\u00a0 Week in and week out, home or away, early game or late game, they got their teeth kicked in on a regular basis.\u00a0 That was the Jets as a team.\u00a0 But what about individual performers?<\/p>\n
While they rarely looked the part 2020, the Jets actually are<\/em> a professional football team.\u00a0 That alone should mean that at least a handful of their 53 players were quality performers surrounded by lesser players and in this case, even worse coaches.\u00a0 So who were the Jets players in 2020 who didn’t play to their full potential or who regressed from previous performances?<\/p>\n One of the most important players who took a huge step back last season was free agent center Connor McGovern.\u00a0 After earning one of the highest pass blocking grades among NFL centers from PFF in 2019 and 12th overall, McGovern was a bottom 5 performer last season.\u00a0 With the addition of left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to the left side of the offensive line, the Jets are that much closer to fielding a dominant O-line.\u00a0 If McGovern regains his 2019 form after Gase’s departure, it would be invaluable to rookie quarterback Zach Wilson and company.\u00a0 Remember, it was just one year ago that PFF listed the Jets as one of the NFL’s most improved offensive lines due to the additions of Becton, McGovern and guard Greg Van Roten.\u00a0 That brings us to…Greg Van Roten.<\/p>\n After a slow start to his 2020 season, Van Roten’s level of play improved significantly down the stretch and he’ll have no shortage of challengers for his spot this season.\u00a0 Second-year player Cam Clark and Alex Lewis, who recently re-worked his deal, will all be pushing for Van Roten’s spot.\u00a0 Should Van Roten retain his job and play at the level he did prior to joining the Jets, he becomes a bargain.\u00a0 If he loses out and remains as a backup, he gives the Jets an excellent depth piece.<\/p>\n