REPORT: Despite the ongoing Reddick situation, the New York Jets defensive end is in danger of being cut.
As the end of training camp approaches, the New York Jets have already begun to consider who will and will not make the team. Micheal Clemons, a defensive end, is one player who may not make the regular season roster.
The Jets released versatile rusher and linebacker Bryce Huff in free agency and traded for Haason Reddick to provide the same pressure off the edge. With Reddick likely missing a snap for the Jets, Clemons would be the next man up, but given his previous performance, he may not be able to grasp the opportunity.
New York Jets Defensive End Michael Clemons Struggles 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 and a lack of pressure have plagued Clemons since last season.
Micheal Clemons took a significant step back from the production and pressure he created as a rookie last season. Clemons played 57 fewer snaps as a rookie, but had five more pressures and two more sacks than the previous season. The defensive end also missed five tackles, for a 16.1% miss percentage when tackling last season. Clemons’ decrease in play last season was intriguing, to say the least, given that the defense had never had a problem with missed tackles before.
Last season, Clemons struggled with the pass rush in particular, with his poorest results coming 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 save his roster spot, or will the defensive end be cut?
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.
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