The 2020 JetsFix 53-man Roster Relay: Victory Lap
As we did last year, we've been marking preseason with a series of fan-sourced roster projections. The usual idea is that as players make their case in each preseason game this will be reflected in the next leg of the relay, along with other developments such as injuries. However, with no games to react to this time, everyone has been flying blind.
After David Aron ran an excellent anchor leg, tsjc68 is here to run the victory lap ...
You know I never do things the simple way.
I'm going to assume/hope JD takes full advantage of the IR rules this year, which allows teams to bring anyone back from IR after 8 games (if they go on IR before the cut to 53) and the new unlimited three-week IR (if they go on IR after the cut). With all the injuries we're having, we really need to exploit these lists.
I'm also hoping he's bold in claims and in comfort trusting young players.
Me making these two hopes naturally means he won't do that (WRONG AGAIN, STATSMAN), but let's play anyway.
Also: we are in the middle of cut and claim and waive and sign and dump season so this roster guess will probably be already outdated by the time we go to press (Editor's note: Last night's Guerriero/Johnson/Bello transaction was made since this was written but doesn't really affect anything below) and I'm making assumptions that we'll sign guys who we surely won't and claim guys who may not be available but, again, I never do things the simple way. Let's play.
CUT TO 53
QB (3)
14 Sam Darnold
5 Joe Flacco (currently on Active-PUP)
4 James Morgan
HB (3)
26 Le'Veon Bell
25 Frank Gore
22 La'Mical Perine
WR (8)
19 Breshad Perriman
11 Denzel Mims
82 Jamison Crowder
18 Donte Moncrief
15 Chris Hogan
81 D.J. Montgomery
10 Braxton Berrios
1 Lawrence Cager
TE (3)
89 Chris Herndon IV
85 Trevon Wesco
84 Ryan Griffin
OL (9)
77 Mekhi Becton
71 Alex Lewis
60 Connor McGovern
62 Greg Van Roten
76 George Fant
72 Cameron Clark
78 Jonotthan Harrison
68 Josh Andrews
75 Chuma Edoga
EDGE (5)
48 Jordan Jenkins
96 Henry Anderson
98 Kyle Phillips
44 Harvey Langi
56 John Franklin-Myers
IDL (4)
95 Quinnen Williams
99 Steve McLendon
94 Folorunso Fatukasi
97 Nathan Shepherd
OBLB (5)
54 Avery Williamson
51 Peanut Onwuasor
53 Blake Cashman
46 Neville Hewitt
58 James Burgess
CB (6)
35 Pierre Desir
31 Bless Austin
34 Brian Poole
27 Quincy Wilson
23 Art Maulet
33 Zane Lewis
S (4)
20 Marcus Maye
30 Bradley McDougald
32 Ashtyn Davis
41 Matthias Farley
ST (3)
9 Sam Ficken
7 Braden Mann
42 Thomas Hennessy
26 O / 24 D / 3 ST = 53
Reserve-NFI (6 weeks)
37 Bryce Hall
As expected.
IR (8 weeks)
17 Vyncint Smith
16 Jeff Smith
93 Tarell Basham
92 Jabari Zuniga
I hope none of these guys are really this injured, but they'll get two months to get themselves ready to play.
Released/waived
3 Mike White
5 David Fales
36 Josh Adams
83 Josh Malone
86 Jehu Chesson
6 George Campbell
87 Daniel Brown
43 Ross Travis
91 Bronson Kaufusi
79 Jared Hilbers
69 Conor McDermott (may revert to IR)
64 Brad Lundblade
61 Jimmy Murray
65 Corbin Kaufusi
66 Sterling Johnson (Note: Already cut)
55 Jordan Willis
50 Frankie Luvu
47 Bryce Huff
49 B.J. Bello (Note: Already cut)
21 Nate Hairston
45 Shyheim Carter
40 Javelin Guidry
36 Lamar Jackson
39 Bennett Jackson
Giving up on Willis while he's still so young sucks, but he's never broken through to real contribution and it sounds like finally-healthy John Franklin-Myers has already leapfrogged him in camp. This was Willis's chance and it seems he didn't grab it.
Many of these guys should slide through to the practice squad.
Now on to the CLAIMS:
I imagine we'll still be in the hunt for some useful bodies at WR, EDGE, and RB. Looking at available options, here's what I think we might do after the cut:
WR Daurice Fountain, IND
There's a few guys worth looking at here who are probably not going to make their own 53, like Jaleel Scott in Baltimore, Devin Smith and Noah Brown in Dallas, Robert Foster in Buffalo, etc. Fountain is in that boat, despite being a guy they're high on. If his teammate Ashton Dulin manages to also get cut, he'd be the preference but his excellence on specials makes that less likely. The Rex Hogan to Florham Park IND-NYJ pipeline continues on this 24 year old springy WR with solid size and hands.
RB Kerrith Whyte PIT
In 2019, Bills fans were upset that he was the odd man out in the numbers game. Looks like that might repeat itself with the Steelers in 2020. Whyte's got speed and could be a useful kick returner but Pittsburgh adding Anthony McFarland and Benny Snell makes his pathway to the roster remote. I think we like Pete Guerriero but stashing him on the PS for now to instead install Whyte as the RB#4 (or, in this case, RB#3 while Perine recovers) is a solid move if for no other reason than specials. I also considered guys like Christian Wade, Theo Riddick, Myles Gaskin, and Darius Anderson.
EDGE Dorance Armstrong, DAL
My dream scenario. The Cowboys are suddenly awash in EDGE talent, following the addition of Everson Griffen, the rebirth of Aldon Smith (who apparently is playing well in camp) and the 2020 draft pick of Bradlee Anae Those three, plus Tank Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford and 2019 top-100 pick Joe Jackson already leave a crowded room and we haven't even mentioned Randy Gregory yet. This looks like the end of the line for Armstrong, even though he's still only 23. With Jabari Zuniga's launch party stalled in the trainer's room, I think JD would be all over a toolsy claim like this, and I could even see us offering a pick before cutdowns to ensure we nab him. Other names to consider: Tuzar Skipper, Derek Rivers, Carter Coughlin, Tyshun Render
K Sam Sloman or Austin MacGinnis
The Rams, amazingly, still haven't picked a kicker and it's a three-man race. Sloman is a 2020 R7 pick, MacGinnis was undrafted in 2018 and had camp tryouts in '18 and '19 but didn't latch on anywhere and restarted his career as the top kicker in the XFL this winter. The third guy who I didn't mention is Lirim Hajrullahu, a 30 year old Kosovo-Canadian who they imported from the CFL and who looks to be in first place in their three-way race right now. I bet they keep one of the two kids alongside of the old Kosovar, and we claim whichever one kicks free. Hopefully this gambit turns out better than the Vedvik move. The unsigned Stephens (Hauschka and Gostkowski) remain the other options.
To facilitate these four additions, we
- waive Sam Ficken, possibly also destined for the PS as a hedge
- put Denzel Mims on 3-week IR
- put Lawrence Cager on 3-week IR
- put Peanut Onwuasor on 3-week IR
I also considered adding a fourth QB while Flacco waits for Week 3 to be cleared to play but I think we just chance it and hope Sam doesn't get nicked up the first two weeks. No risk it, no biscuit.
Week 1 53:
QB (3)
14 Sam Darnold
4 James Morgan
5 Joe Flacco (injured)
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Flacco in, Fales out)
HB (4)
26 Le'Veon Bell
25 Frank Gore
21 Kerrith Whyte
22 La'Mical Perine
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Whyte in, Adams out)
WR (7)
19 Breshad Perriman
82 Jamison Crowder
18 Donte Moncrief
15 Chris Hogan
88 Daurice Fountain
81 D.J. Montgomery
10 Braxton Berrios
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Moncrief, Hogan, Fountain, Montgomery in, J Smith, Mims, Campbell out)
TE (3)
89 Chris Herndon IV
85 Trevon Wesco
84 Ryan Griffin
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Brown out)
OL (9)
77 Mekhi Becton
71 Alex Lewis
60 Connor McGovern
62 Greg Van Roten
76 George Fant
72 Cameron Clark
78 Jonotthan Harrison
68 Josh Andrews
75 Chuma Edoga
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - None)
EDGE (6)
48 Jordan Jenkins
96 Henry Anderson
98 Kyle Phillips
91 Dorance Armstrong
44 Harvey Langi
56 John Franklin-Myers
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Armstrong, Langi, Franklin-Myers in, Basham, Luvu, Zuniga out)
IDL (4)
95 Quinnen Williams
99 Steve McLendon
94 Folorunso Fatukasi
97 Nathan Shepherd
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - No change)
OBLB (5)
54 Avery Williamson
53 Blake Cashman
46 Neville Hewitt
58 James Burgess
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - None)
CB (6)
35 Pierre Desir
31 Bless Austin
34 Brian Poole
27 Quincy Wilson
23 Art Maulet
33 Zane Lewis
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Lewis in, Hall out)
S (4)
20 Marcus Maye
30 Bradley McDougald
32 Ashtyn Davis
41 Matthias Farley
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - Farley in, Cioffi out)
ST (3)
2 Austin MacGinnis
7 Braden Mann
42 Thomas Hennessy
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - MacGinnis in, PTBNL out)
26 O / 24 D / 3 ST = 53
Practice Squad (16)
5 David Fales
38 Pete Guerriero
29 Javon Leake (a UDFA rookie RB/KR from NYG)
83 George Campbell
43 Ross Travis
86 Bronson Kaufusi
69 Conor McDermott
79 Jared Hilbers
47 Bryce Huff
64 Teair Tart (a UDFA rookie IDL from TEN)
49 B.J. Bello
45 Shyheim Carter
40 Javelin Guidry
36 Lamar Jackson
39 Henry Black (a UDFA rookie S from GB)
9 Sam Ficken (a day later)
(Editor's note: Changes since previous leg - It would be easier if we told you what didn't change)
IR
17 Vyncint Smith
16 Jeff Smith
93 Tarell Basham
92 Jabari Zuniga
11 Denzel Mims (eligible to return Week 4)
1 Lawrence Cager (eligible to return Week 4)
51 Peanut Onwuasor (eligible to return Week 4)
NFI
37 Bryce Hall (eligible to return Week 7)
Now let's go beat the Bills 13-6!
Thanks again to ALL our relay runners this year. We have just three days until the cut to 53 and then about another week to opening day so if you'd do anything differently, let's hear it in the comments...