CBS Sports slotted the Jets 29th of 32 in its annual ranking of NFL “triplets,” the quarterback, running back and top pass-catcher trios. New York’s group of Geno Smith, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson landed near the bottom, and the placement is hard to square with the talent on the field.
The rankings came from a nine-voter panel. The full ballots aren’t public, but CBS’s Jared Dubin noted the Jets ranged from as high as No. 22 on one voter’s card to No. 30 on another’s. Dubin suggested the trio is being “punished for Smith’s awful season in Las Vegas,” a year that played out in a rough offensive setup.
Look closer and the ranking gets harder to defend. CBS placed the Browns, Dolphins and Titans below the Jets, and slotted Arizona 26th on the strength of a trio built around Jacoby Brissett, rookie Jeremiyah Love and tight end Trey McBride. Love hasn’t taken an NFL snap, and Brissett is a veteran journeyman. The Raiders also came in ahead of New York, with CBS even listing Fernando Mendoza among their triplets despite Kirk Cousins being the presumed starter.
The Jets’ case rests on production. Wilson has topped 1,000 receiving yards in three of his four seasons while catching passes from a revolving door at quarterback. Hall is coming off the best year of his career and is still only 25. Smith’s down season in Las Vegas is dragging the group’s perception, but the two skill players around him have résumés that most of the teams ranked ahead of New York can’t match.
