Last year, the Jets had one of the best special teams units in the NFL. But with the season looming, the group is facing some major question marks.

Yes, football is nearly back. As training camp approaches — the Jets will report to training camp on July 24, with their first practice set for the next day — we'll be taking a look at each of the Jets position groups.

Today it's special teams.

The Depth Chart

K Chandler Catanzaro; P Lachlan Edwards; P Matt Darr; LS Thomas Hennessy (*Projected starters in bold)

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The breakdown

Two Jets special teamers made the Pro Bowl with breakthrough seasons in 2018, but the Jets let both kicker Jason Myers and returner Andre Roberts walk during free agency instead of paying them.

Catanzaro had a dismal, injury-plagued 2018 season with the Bucs and Panthers. The hope is that Catanzaro, who had a strong season for the Jets in 2017, can recapture his old form. Edwards is the favorite to win the punting job, but it will be interesting to see how he reacts to being pushed by Darr. Hennessy, a Don Bosco grad, has been a consistent long-snapper in his first two years in the league and will be the starter again this year.

Several players should be in the mix for the returning jobs, including Trenton Cannon, Greg Dortch, Ty Montgomery, Deontay Burnett, Valentine Holmes and Quadree Henderson.

The big question

Can the Jets replace their lost Pro Bowlers and remain one of the best special teams units in the NFL?

Both Myers and Roberts turned in unexpected breakthrough seasons last year. And the Jets are obviously confident that special teams coordinator Brant Boyer — one of the few coaches to survive after the Jets fired Todd Bowles — can continue to get the most out of his players.

Catanzaro will almost certainly start the season as the kicker, but don't be surprised to see the Jets bring in another kicker during training camp if he shows any signs of struggle.

Meanwhile, the returning competition is wide open with several players vying to fill Roberts' roles. Even Boyer admitted that he's not sure how it will play out.

"You've got a big group of guys there," Boyer said. "You really can't tell what those guys are going to be until you get them into game action. It's always good to see them in shorts and running around and catching, but the real deal is when you get them in pads and see if they can make people miss."

The battle to find a kick and punt returner will be one of the more fascinating this summer. And a critical one if the Jets, who were ranked by Football Outsiders as the league's best special teams unit last year, hope to remain elite.

Email: vasqueza@northjersey.com

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