New York Jets 2022 Preview: TE CJ Uzomah

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CJ Uzomah signed with the New York Jets this year in free agency. He is one of the Jets’ three new players at the tight end position. Uzomah is an experienced veteran coming off of a Super Bowl appearance and is known for his leadership. He is going into year eight at 29 years old.

Brief review of 2021:

Uzomah had a career year across the board in 2021. He had 49 catches, 493 yards, and five touchdowns, all new personal bests. Those 49 catches were only on 63 total targets for the year as well in 16 games played. It gave him a strong catch rate of 77.8%. Uzomah played a part in some of the best success the Cincinnati Bengals have had in a long time.

Skill set:

Uzomah provides a great combination of size and speed for the Jets at tight end. He stands tall at 6-foot-5 and has a big 271-pound frame. He has fast 4.62 speed. It enables him to provide a presence as a vertical threat down the seam for the offense. Uzomah is also great after the catch. He uses his blend of size and speed and has excellent play strength to defeat tackles and get yards after the catch, an important trait in Mike LaFleur’s offense. He is a very good athlete. Lastly, he is a capable blocker in both the run and pass game.

Projected role:

In two tight end sets, which will be featured on first and second down, Uzomah will play a substantial role. As mentioned, he can help on the end of the line of scrimmage, whether it be as a run or pass blocker. On third downs and in three-wide receiver sets, Uzomah will likely split time with Tyler Conklin. In the passing game, Uzomah should gain four to five targets his way a week on average.

2022 stat projection:

The two highest amounts of targets Uzomah has ever gotten in a season were 64 and 63. Last year, he got those 63 targets over 16 games (3.9 per game). This year, over a 17-game season, anticipate Uzomah to total roughly 70 targets (4.1 per game). His final stats should be similar to what he had last year. Expect Uzomah to finish 2022 with about 50 catches, 500 yards, and four touchdowns.

Final preview thoughts:

What Uzomah provides from a character standpoint will go a long way for the Jets. He was just a part of a young team that struggled for a long time and, out of nowhere, made a Super Bowl run. His leadership and emotion will help the team. He will do a good job as an in-line blocker in both the run and pass game. With his size, speed, and overall athletic ability, expect some explosive plays at times from Uzomah as a receiver. Whether it be vertically down the seam or after the catch in space, Uzomah will make impact plays in the Jets’ passing game his first year with the team in 2022.