The Jets have been stagnant on offense for years and all but useless on offense for the last few weeks and it appears some players are going to start facing the music. Just maybe not the ones who deserve it.

The Jets announced today that they released running back Michael Carter, a fourth-round pick from the 2021 draft out of North Carolina.

Carter had led the Jets in rushing back in his rookie season, but was supplanted by Breece Hall in 2022, and found himself regulated to third down duty this year with the addition of Dalvin Cook.

Carter wasn’t used much this season, but the same could be said for anyone on the Jets offense. Carter had only 15 receptions for 68 yards with two dropped passes. As a runner, he carried only eight times for 38 yards.

Robert Saleh hinted on Monday that some changes might be on the way after the Jets offense continued to embarrass itself again on a national stage Sunday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. "We're looking at some things, some different personnel changes, which I'm going to keep here with me, but we're looking across the board to see if we can find a way to generate some offense," Saleh said.

So, they are going generate some offense by releasing a guy who touches the ball two or three times a game? Got it.

Replacing Carter in the Jets lineup will come internally. The Jets will look to get more reps to fifth-round rookie Izzy Abanikanda out of Pitt. Abanikanda has been inactive through the first 10 weeks of the season but showed some real flash in the preseason.

Abanikanda has top level speed, and the Jets are looking to find something, anything, to spark some life into an offense that is beyond putrid. The Jets haven’t scored a touchdown since Breece Hall’s 50-yard touchdown catch on a swing pass.

For some reason it appears that the Jets brass think the third-down back is what is holding back the offense, and not the coaching or the offensive line or, dare I say, the quarterback.

Carter finds himself the first of what I believe will end up being a string of players being demoted or released over the coming weeks. We will see the all-too-familiar transition from playoff contender to playoff spoiler, to a “let’s see what we have in the young guys” team.

Carter will likely get himself a new home within the next few days. He has shown some flashes of being a productive running back in the league.

The Jets meanwhile will still be at the mercy of one of the biggest draft busts in Jets history and an organization that continues to back him like he is the second coming of Peyton Manning.

On Monday, after they failed to score a touchdown for the second consecutive game, Saleh again backed Zach Wilson, saying, "I've never felt like making one guy the fall guy is going to make everyone around him better."

But at least the third-down back won’t be the issue anymore.

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Featured image via Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports