New York Jets: Defensive End in Danger of Being Cut Despite Ongoing Reddick Situation.
As the end of training camp is nearly here, the New York Jets have already begun thinking about who will and who will not make the roster.
One player who is in jeopardy of not making the regular season roster is defensive end Micheal Clemons. The Jets let versatile rusher and linebacker Bryce Huff go in free agency and traded for Haason Reddick to create the same pressure off the edge. With Reddick potentially not playing a snap for the Jets, Clemons would be the next man up, but might not be able to seize that opportunity given his recent performance.
New York Jets Defensive End Micheal Clemons Struggling to Make the Roster
Heading into last season, the Jets had plenty of hope for their tenacious, aggressive defensive end Micheal Clemons. Clemons, the soon-to-be 27-year old was drafted in 2022 in the fourth round by the Jets with high hopes but little technical skill. The powerful defensive end made an impact as a rookie, recording 19 tackles, three sacks, and four hurries.
However, last season Clemons took a step back despite playing more than he had previously, and now may lose his roster spot. Clemons also struggled with controlling his emotions, exploding at both opposing players and fans sitting behind the Jets bench as well.
While Clemons struggled, everyone does and the Jets are willing to look past that to allow the defensive end to flourish. Yet, that still means proving he belongs on the team and given his lackluster camp performance thus far, it might not happen.
Missed Tackles, Lack of Pressure Plaguing Clemons Since Last Season
Sep 17, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) calls a play at the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) calls a play at the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
A season ago, Micheal Clemons took a massive step back from the production and pressure he created during his rookie season. Clemons played 57 less snaps as a rookie but recorded five more pressures and two more sacks during his first season of play compared to last season. The defensive end also recorded five missed tackles, which comes out to a 16.1% miss rate when tackling last season.
The decline of play Clemons displayed last season was interesting to say the least, especially since the defender has never had issues with missed tackles in the past. Clemons struggled with the pass rush in particular last season, having his worst performances of the year against teams who attacked through the air.
For example, against Denver, Clemons played 13 snaps as a pass rusher and generated no pressure while missing his lone tackle attempt. Clemons showed some strength in coverage, but it was not enough to balance out the steps he took backward in some of his strongest categories.
Can Clemons Hold Onto His Roster Spot, or Will the Defensive End Be Cut?
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Oct 29, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets defensive end Micheal Clemons (72) at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Whether or not Micheal Clemons will be cut largely will depend on the performances that the defensive end is able to put together the rest of camp. The Jets worked hard to add depth to both lines, and on the defensive side addition of Takkarist McKinley and the emergence of Jalyn Holmes and Will McDonald IV. McKinley and Holmes have both struggled to be effective on the field lately, but offer more than Clemons currently does.
Heading into this season, improving his pass defense and pass rush ability was something that Clemons wanted to improve upon. There is still time to prove he has improved, but thus far he has struggled with the same issues he had last season. Without showing any real improvements it seems unlikely that the Jets will hang onto Clemons.
