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General manager Joe Douglas has remained vocal about the fact that he's looking for upgrades. With the Jets being third in waiver priority, the chances are good that they'll land one or more of their targets via the waiver wire on Sunday afternoon.
Despite also having a high priority last year, the Jets opted not to make a single claim. Two of the main upgrades they were expected to make at the time had been at the kicker and return specialist positions. In the end, they stuck with Jason Myers and Andre Roberts with both ending up in the Pro Bowl. Of course, they've since let each of them go, though.
Let's break down the 10 most notable cutdown waiver claims of the past 10 years to generate some perspective:
10. Colin Baxter, C, 2011
This remains a cautionary tale to any team seeking to fill a hole in this way. The Jets had made a trade for a guard at the same time -- Caleb Schluaderaff -- who they felt they could coach up into the backup center. Unfortunately, he wasn't ready by the time Nick Mangold went down with an early-season ankle injury and the Jets had to call upon the undrafted rookie Baxter. Their offensive line was overwhelmed in brutal losses to the Raiders and Ravens and some believe Mark Sanchez never fully recovered from the trauma.
9. Andrew Sendejo, S, 2011
Sendejo was a Jet for less than a month and never played for them, but the claim for him was notable for two reasons. The first was that there was controversy over the move because it was suspected the Jets only made it to get intel on their upcoming opponent; the Dallas Cowboys. The second was that they perhaps should have kept him because he eventually became a full-time starter with the Vikings. The Jets won the Dallas game, at least.
8. Will Tye, TE, 2017
Tye didn't last very long with the Jets but was a good example of finding someone to fill a void at short notice. With Austin Seferian-Jenkins suspended, the Jets claimed Tye and he saw significant action in their season opener, in which he played well with three catches for 34 yards, including one that set up a touchdown. Thereafter, he played just two more games as a Jet, catching one pass.
7. Patrick Turner, WR, 2010
Turner played for the Jets in three seasons, starting one game. He caught just 10 passes for them, although he did score a touchdown. That was a meaningless score in the closest stages of a loss to Miami in the 2011 season finale, though.
6. Marcus Dixon, DL, 2010
Dixon provided the Jets with depth on the defensive line over the course of his three seasons with the team. He played in 22 games, starting three, and recorded 21 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He never played for another team.
5. Clyde Gates, WR, 2012
The speedster Gates was a player with a lot of potential who never quite lived up to it. He lasted two years with the Jets, during which he started four games and caught 28 passes for 346 yards but was best remembered for some key drops.
4. Konrad Reuland, TE, 2012
Although he only caught 12 passes for 90 yards over two seasons, Reuland was a useful addition because of his blocking ability and special teams contributions. He sadly passed away in 2016 after suffering a brain aneurysm.
3. Ben Ijalana, T, 2013
Ijalana, who was once a second-round pick, landed with the Jets after a few knee injuries and lasted with the team for six seasons. He was a useful reserve, but his only significant playing time came in 2016 as he started 13 games due to injuries to Breno Giacomini and Ryan Clady.
2. Matt Mulligan, TE, 2009
Mulligan was with the Jets for three seasons, developing into a key role as a blocking specialist. He started 11 games as a Jet, nine of which were in 2011. However, he only caught six passes. That Mulligan is the second most notable player on our list speaks volumes.
1. Darryl Roberts, CB, 2016
Roberts is the only cutdown waiver claim still with the team and must be considered a success as he's currently listed as a starter, although some fans feel the Jets could probably do with an upgrade. He'll look to add to the 16 starts and two interceptions he's accumulated over his first three years.
Conclusions
This is obviously an unimpressive collection of players, underscoring the fact that it's not easy to uncover useful contributors via this route. Hopefully Douglas will fare better than his predecessors did.