NFL

Who will step up and be Jets’ No. 2 receiver?

With all the talk about whether the competition is open or closed at quarterback, the biggest battle on the Jets roster has been overlooked.

Who is going to be this team’s No. 2 wide receiver?

The Jets’ offense was 31st in passing offense last year, and it was not all Geno Smith’s fault. The Jets went through a bunch of wide receivers, most of whom were playing above the role they should have been in.

General manager John Idzik addressed the wide receiver position in free agency with his only big-ticket purchase, signing Eric Decker to a five-year, $36.25 million contract. That addressed the No. 1 wide receiver, but the offense needs someone to emerge opposite Decker if it truly is going to improve.

Here’s a look at the contenders for the spot:

Stephen Hill

The 2012 second-round pick has been a disappointment in his first two seasons, plagued by knee injuries and inconsistent play. But Hill is still only 24 years old and he is 6-foot-4 with speed. The Jets keep hoping he can put things together.

Hill was handed a starting spot in each of the past two seasons. Now he has to earn one. If Hill wins the competition, you have to think the Jets decision-makers would be thrilled. He could be a long-term answer.

The key with Hill may be keeping his knees healthy. He has been shut down in each of his first two years with knee problems. Part of the issue last year was his workload in training camp. With several receivers battling injuries, Hill wound up taking the bulk of snaps in camp. He opened the season strong (13 catches, 233 yards, 1 TD in the first three games), but wore down quickly and was missing in action by the middle of the season when he went three straight games without a catch.

Jacoby Ford

Jacoby FordAP

When is the last time the Jets had a receiver who truly could stretch the field? Ford could be that kind of deep threat if he can regain his health. An accomplished sprinter, Ford appeared to lose some speed after surgery in 2012 to repair a Lisfranc injury in his foot.

The 26-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Raiders in 2010 out of Clemson. He is best known for his kick return skills, but also has 57 catches for 848 yards and three touchdowns in 38 career games. But Ford was barely on the field for Oakland last year, catching just nine passes for 77 yards in 14 games.

Jets wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal was with the Raiders when they drafted Ford, and he may feel he can get something more out of Ford than what he’s shown so far. The Jets gave Ford a one-year, $740,000 deal, so it’s not a major commitment, but enough of one that he will get a long look in training camp.

David Nelson

The Jets picked up Nelson before Week 5 last year after Santonio Holmes injured his hamstring. Nelson became a valuable member of the receiving corps and showed he could be more than just a stopgap. He had 36 catches for 423 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games after learning the Jets offense on the fly. It will be interesting to see how he does with a full offseason.

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg could not always play to the receivers’ strengths last year because of how many injuries there were. Mornhinweg is a strong game-planner and might have some things in mind for Nelson, who spent his first three seasons with the Bills.

Jeremy Kerley

This one would take some outside-the-box thinking. Kerley has proven himself to be a good slot receiver, and ideally the Jets would want to keep him there. But if you look around the Jets’ receivers room, there are a lot of small, quick guys who appear to be better suited for playing in the slot.

Would the Jets be better off putting one of their other receivers in the slot and moving Kerley outside? He has played outside on occasion over the past two years due to injuries to Santonio Holmes and others.

This is not the ideal situation for the Jets, but it is worth considering if it means getting the best 11 football players on the field at the same time.

Shaq Evans

Of the three wide receivers the Jets drafted last month, I think Evans has the best shot at playing on offense. The 6-foot-1, 213-pounder played on the outside at UCLA and was known for making tough catches.

Evans missed OTAs last week because he was finishing up college, but is expected to be back soon. He had 47 catches for 709 yards and 9 touchdowns last year at UCLA. The knock on Evans was he sometimes dropped easy catches. He ran a respectable 4.46 in the 40-yard dash, but is not known as a true vertical threat.

Evans probably is not ready to play immediately, but you never know.

The other wide receivers on the roster: Jalen Saunders, Clyde Gates, Saalim Hakim, Greg Salas, Quincy Enunwa and Michael Campbell.