New York Jets: 3 Players with something to prove in 2018

Lorenzo Mauldin

The 6-4, 259-pound strongside linebacker missed the entire 2017 campaign due to a herniated disk in his back that required surgery. He was placed on injured reserve after participating in only a few days of training camp. A third-round draft pick in 2015 from the University of Louisville, Mauldin is far from a sure thing to make New York’s opening game roster. He has much to prove.

Josh Martin is the current starter at strongside linebacker. Mauldin, Dylan Donahue and Freddie Bishop back him up presently. Mauldin not only has to show that he is healthy but he needs to step up his level of play in a big way.

After a promising rookie campaign in which he recorded 17 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 15 games, Mauldin’s performance suffered somewhat in 2016. The Atlanta, GA native played in only 11 games and finished with 16 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one interception and two passes defensed. The injury bug was starting to take hold and then transformed into a season-ending IR stint last year.

Let’s face it, as presently constituted, Mauldin is hanging by a thread to make the 53-man roster. He must display that he is fully recovered. His standard of play needs to improve in leaps and bounds. He is still just 25 years old so he has a number of prime seasons remaining.

But can he stay on the field? Can he elevate his performance level? Is his injury simply too much to come back from? These are all pertinent questions as Mauldin looks to not only salvage his Jets career but his NFL career as well.