James Carpenter was a disaster last season for Jets
As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.
No. 16: James Carpenter
Last year’s ranking: 4
Position: LG
Age: 29
How acquired: Signed as a free agent to a four-year, $19.1 million contract on March 15, 2015
Years left on contract: 1
2018 Salary Cap figure: $6.8 million
Looking back at 2017: Carpenter had his worst season of three with the Jets last year.
He took a step back along with the entire offensive line and really struggled at times. Carpenter had a really strong 2015 and 2016 seasons, making his signing look like a genius move by general manager Mike Maccagnan. But last season, he did not look like the same guy.
Pro Football Focus rated him the 75th guard out of 80 they graded. He was 77th in pass blocking and 58th in run blocking. Carpenter gave up four sacks, tied for ninth-most among guards and 10 quarterback hits, tied for the most at the position.
Carpenter was penalized five times, three times for false starts.
His worst game came in Tampa Bay, when the Buccaneers dominated the Jets up front in one of the worst games of the season for Gang Green.
One positive from Carpenter last year was his durability. He played all 1,038 offensive snaps, the only player to do so.
Outlook for 2018: This is probably Carpenter’s final year with the Jets. With his contract expiring and him approaching 30, the Jets most likely will let him leave in free agency after this year. The Jets have a boatload of salary cap space in 2019 and revamping the offensive line has to be a top priority.
In the meantime, the Jets have to hope that his 2017 season was an anomaly and not a sign of things to come. The Jets fired offensive line coach Steve Marshall after last season and brought in Rick Dennison, hoping he can get the line playing well.
Carpenter is the top offensive lineman on my list. That means within the first 10 players in this top 25, all the starting linemen are off the board already. If my assessment is correct, that is not good news for the Jets.