The New York Jets won’t have their full complement of players on Saturday, August 16.
Jets senior reporter Eric Allen revealed the nine players who aren’t expected to play against the New York Giants.
Six of those players are on the defensive side of the ball: defensive back Kris Boyd, defensive tackle Byron Cowart, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, pass rusher Jermaine Johnson, and a pair of rookies, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and cornerback Azareye’h Thomas.
The other three players are on the offensive side of the ball: running back Isaiah Davis, wide receiver Allen Lazard, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
These are all the #Jets players that are not expected to play tonight, per @eallenjets.
📸 @nyjets #NYJvsNYG #JetUp pic.twitter.com/UEnWpL6yaB
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) August 16, 2025
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Not a Lot of Surprises With These Announcements
The majority of the players on this list had been dealing with pre-existing injuries and were expected not to be available for this contest.
A few of them are uncertain to be ready by the team’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 7.
That list includes players like Lazard and Taylor.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said Lazard should return in two weeks, which puts him right on the cusp of the season. Taylor had “minor scope” knee surgery and was ruled out for the rest of the preseason.
Status is very much up in the air for Week 1, which opens the door for another quarterback to make some noise in this preseason game.
A Storyline to Watch in Jets-Giants Game
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic highlighted these final two preseason games as an important stretch.
If the season started today, Tony Adams would start opposite Andre Cisco at safety. However, the window is open for that to change.
“These two preseason games will be Malachi Moore’s real chance at pushing Tony Adams for the starting job,” Rosenblatt said on X previously Twitter. “Jarius Monroe is pushing for a depth spot too.”
Davis Injury Opens up Opportunities in the Jets Backfield
One of the nine players that was ruled out for this game is Isaiah Davis. He is a lock to make the 53-man roster.
“Three are locked in already and it’s unclear if the Jets want to keep a fourth (a fifth if you count #AndrewBeck). But Donovan Edwards looked great last week and has another shot to impress this week. Should get even more touches with Isaiah Davis banged up,” Rosenblatt said.
Position battle watch for Jets-Giants tonight:
– Wide Receiver
Brandon Smith should get plenty of run today. He’s been getting some reps with Justin Fields lately, helped by Lazard being out. He can push for a roster spot if he keeps standing out.Arian Smith feels ready for a…
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) August 16, 2025
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Edwards is auditioning for the Jets and the other 31 teams in the NFL every time he steps out on the field. It’s unclear how many RBs the Jets will keep, but the league is constantly looking for talented guys at the position.
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