Defenders reign supreme, but a strong offseason wasn’t enough for the New York Jets to impress the powers that be at EA Sports.
Put EA Sports on the list of so-called experts the New York Jets will be looking to prove wrong in 2021.
The unveiling of player ratings for EA’s upcoming pro football simulator Madden NFL 22Â (the 35th edition of the long-running video game franchise) is complete after Saturday, released in conjunction with ESPN programs. In terms of overall team ratings, the Jets round out the list of 32 teams, coming in last with a mark of 72.
The effects of last year’s two-win endeavor apparently still weigh heavily on the Jets, whose strong offseason failed to impress EA’s talent evaluators. Their plunge becomes particularly visible when it comes to the offense, as they’re the only unit ranked below 70 with a 69 (right behind 31st-ranked and fellow AFC East competitor Miami). They fare slightly better on defense, as their label of 74 is tied for third-worst on the list with Cincinnati and Detroit. Only Atlanta (73) and Houston (72) trail.
In individual cases, Quinnen Williams tops the Jets’ personal rankings with an 86 rating. It’s an eight-point improvement from the opening rankings of Madden NFL 21, which perfectly showcase the transformation the Jets have gone through over the past year. Of the top 15 names in the Jets’ ratings from last season, only four (Williams, C.J. Mosley, Marcus Maye, and Jamison Crowder) remain.
Defenders take the first four spots of Jets’ ratings and seven of the first ten. Williams is followed by Maye (85), Mosley (84), and Carl Lawson (83). The offensive group is paced by receiver Corey Davis, who’s tied with his fellow New York newcomer Lawson (83).
As previously reported, Zach Wilson earned a 75 overall rating, second amongst rookie passers behind Trevor Lawrence. Wilson is tied for the fourth-best rating amongst rookies overall, tied with receivers JaMarr Chase and DeVonta Smith. Though he was upset with his respectable change of direction rate of 93, rookie catcher Elijah Moore nonetheless tied for the team lead in the subsection with Crowder.
The Jets’ full team rankings can be found here.
Five players were granted access to the “99 Club” as gainers of the game’s top possible rating. The Los Angeles Rams (Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey) put in two each, as did the Kansas City Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce). They’re joined by Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams. One such member, Mahomes, graces the cover with fellow Super Bowl LV competitor Tom Brady.
Madden NFL 22Â will be released on August 20. The game can be pre-ordered on several platforms on its official site.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags