New York Jets: 3 Players on the hot seat in 2018 season

The start of the NFL season is almost here. Here are three players on the hot seat for the New York Jets in 2018.

It’s just about time. The start of the 2018 season is almost here for the New York Jets. With it comes optimism that maybe, finally, this will be the year this much-maligned franchise begins to turn things around. Expectations are higher now. With that comes additional pressure.

No one is expecting Gang Green to win the Super Bowl, but improvement from a dismal 5-11 campaign last year is not only hoped for, it’s expected.

With that being said, here are a trio of players that are on the hot seat for New York as the team gears up for the season opener in Detroit on Sept. 10:

3. Isaiah Crowell

If the Jets are to sustain any offensive success this season, they need to establish a reliable ground attack. That starts with the 25-year old Crowell, who was signed as a free agent this Spring after spending his first four seasons with the hapless Cleveland Browns.

The Alabama State product is not expected to be the bell cow back for New York. However, he will be the primary ball carrier on first and second downs and also at the goal-line. He must be effective to set up play action and take some pressure off the shoulders of rookie signal-caller Sam Darnold.

His track record suggests he should be more than up to the task. The 5-11, 225-pounder registered a career-high 206 carries last year for 853 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Crowell is also a decent receiver out of the backfield (68 receptions the last two seasons) and is adept at picking up the blitz, which is crucial in today’s pass-happy NFL.

He’ll cede some opportunities (especially on third down) to Bilal Powell, but Crowell must come through and be Darnold’s main man, so to speak. No matter how good Darnold may become, any quarterback needs a solid running game to be successful. It’s time for Crowell to step up with his finest season to date.