After what has proved to be a tough season for the Jets and Jeremy Ruckert, the tight end knows the high stakes of the 2025 season — the final year of his rookie contract.
It has to be his best season yet.
Not only that, Ruckert, who is a lifelong Jets fan from Lindenhurst, has tenure with his local team at stake as he wishes to be an integral part of a franchise turnaround following the Jets’ ninth straight losing season and their 14th without making the playoffs.
“Any rookie who’s got their four-year deal, it’s a big offseason for them regardless of the situation they’re in,” Ruckert told The Post on Friday. “And just going into your last year, you want to always make sure you look the best for that regardless of the situation, like I said. But, that’s how I’m kinda thinking about it. It’s more so, just for myself personally, I got one more year to show what I can do.
“This year, it’s been full of ups and downs for me and the team, and just hopefully build on that, keep getting better and show them that I’m still getting developed and becoming the player I want to be.”
The third-year tight end will be challenged to earn the top job after three years of playing behind seven-year veteran Tyler Conklin, who will be a free agent in the offseason.
Thus, there is an opening, and as a 2022 third-round pick by the Jets (110th overall), Ruckert seemingly would be the one to take over.
However, after a season that admittedly lacked focus, as Ruckert described, he will have a lot to prove.
Ruckert has just 17 catches on 26 targets for just 100 yards and no touchdowns this season after tallying 16 catches for 151 yards as a third-stringer last year.
He also only slightly increased his snap count from the 2023 season (32 percent) to this season (36 percent) while Conklin has been a part of 84 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps.
Ruckert, 24, admitted much of his lack of offensive involvement stems from the amount of offensive talent the Jets have.
His increase in pass drops this season, however, hasn’t helped.
“My role as a blocker, running around the backfield … obviously those aren’t the targets that can just be thrown around there like that,” he said. “So, I just got to stick to my role and continue to produce in the way that I know I can. I need to make the most of the opportunities I do get and I think this year a few of my opportunities, had a few drops this year which is not typical of me, which those are the ones you obviously want back. But, I think it all stems from just wanting to be so good for your team, loving your teammates, and kind of present in the moment instead of just playing.”
In the past few weeks, Ruckert has felt himself clicking, which he pointed to as a result of “letting go” of his past season mishaps.
Ruckert has caught 50 percent of his passes (4-for-8) this month, including his two targets for 12 yards against the Rams last week.
“I think once we got to that streak of losses, it was everybody trying to be a hero and make the most of every single play instead of just letting the plays happen,” Ruckert said. “For me, the biggest thing was just letting it go and trust in myself, trusting my process, and not try to make any moment too big.”
If Conklin or one-year signee Kenny Yeboah do not re-sign with the Jets during free agency, Ruckert will be the sole tight end in the position room.
Yet, he may be up against a young draftee if the Jets choose to go that route in April.
“I wanted to be a part of that [successful Jets] team and obviously, the past few years haven’t gone that way,” he said. “But I’m still hopeful and confident that, as long as I’m here, I’m gonna give it everything I got and be the energy giver for the team and do whatever it takes to win or whatever they need me to do.”
