Tag: New York Jets cornerback depth

2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Cornerback

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s cornerback room with training camp and the 2020 season approaching.

With the NFLPA player reps officially approving the NFL’s proposal and training camp just a short ways away, it’s time to take a closer look at the makeup of the Jets’ roster entering the 2020 season.

Cornerback was one of the Jets’ worst units in 2019. Gregg Williams and Dennard Wilson got the most they could out of the team’s ragtag group, but when teams were beating the Jets last season they were doing it through the air. With the addition of Pierre Desir and the re-signing of Brian Poole, New York’s cornerback room should improve in 2020. However, a lot remains uncertain.

As training camp and the beginning of the regular season inch closer, Jets Wire will provide a look at each of New York’s position groups and what could be in store for the unit in 2020. Let’s break down the cornerback room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

The Jets brought in Desir to stabilize the team’s secondary and provide the consistency that neither Trumaine Johnson nor Darryl Roberts could supply during their time in New York.

Desir’s 2019 season was met with a drop in production, as he allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 64.9 percent of their passes with a 96.5 passer rating against him. At the same, Desir brings a veteran presence to the unit, starting 23 games in Indianapolis over the past two seasons. As he returns from a nagging hamstring injury that cost him four games during the 2019 campaign, Desir figures to be Gregg Williams’ go-to cornerback on the outside.

Returning in the slot is Poole, who was one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL last season. In his first season in green and white, Poole recorded 62 tackles, four tackles for loss, six pass defenses and a pick-six. Poole allowed the fewest yards per cover snap out of the slot last season, according to Michael Nania. Overall, Poole allowed just 0.526 yards per cover snap, which ranked second-best among cornerbacks, behind only Richard Sherman.

Not only is Poole dependable in coverage, but he also isn’t afraid to stick his nose out at the line of scrimmage. Poole had the second-most tackles for loss (4) among qualified cornerbacks and the third most pressures (11), per Nania.

Depth

The Jets’ No. 2 cornerback spot is up for grabs. Entering his second year in the NFL, Bless Austin has the inside track at starting opposite of Desir, but the additions of Bryce Hall and Quincy Wilson will create competition.

Austin finished his rookie season with 25 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble in seven games. He ended the season in Williams’ doghouse after getting beaten for a touchdown in the Jets’ Week 16 win over the Steelers, but he should find himself back into the equation once training camp gets underway.

After suffering a gruesome ankle injury that prematurely ended his senior season at the University of Virginia, Hall is making steady progress as he continues his recovery. He has spent a lot of time soaking up knowledge from Williams, so he’ll be ready when his number is called.

As for Wilson, a change of scenery was much needed for the former second-round pick. The Jets took a flier on him after he fell out of favor in Indianapolis. Standing at 6-foot-2, Wilson has the size, length, ball skills and versatility to make an impact in Gang Green’s secondary.

Among the other players competing to be a depth piece in the secondary are Arthur Maulet, Nate Hairston, Lamar Jackson, Javelin Guidry and Shyheim Carter.

Outlook

The Jets’ cornerback room leaves a lot to be desired. New York is far removed from having a No. 1 shutdown cornerback but has the capable pieces to keep opposing teams in check, much like the unit did down the stretch last season.

With the position group’s depth decimated by injuries in 2019, the Jets were able to bounce back and finish 17th in the NFL against the pass, allowing 236.2 yards per game. That has a chance to improve in 2020, especially with the new additions.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

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Cap Cut Candidate: Should Jets move on from CB Nate Hairston?

The Jets should move on from cornerback Nate Hairston after a miserable first season with New York.

Nate Hairston was thrown into the Jets’ cornerback mess after a preseason trade with the Colts last year. However, Hairston struggled mightily in Gregg Williams’ defense, which led him toward the bench during the back half of the season despite New York sustaining multiple injuries at the position.

Hairston has one more year left on his rookie deal that he signed with Indianapolis. He got a salary bump of $1.4 million because he played a certain number of snaps last season. If the Jets keep him, he will count for $2.1 million against the cap. If they move on, they’ll save all of that money.

Joe Douglas needs as much money as possible to revamp this roster and Hairston didn’t exactly prove that he’s worth keeping. He played poorly on the outside and was on the sidelines for four of the last seven games of the season. The Jets need to clean out their cornerback room after last year’s performance and bring in players who can play the position well. It’ll be up to Douglas if Hairston should be part of that group next season.

Pros of keeping him

If the Jets want to have some depth at cornerback, then keeping Hairston wouldn’t be such a bad idea. In 11 games, Hairston recorded 21 tackles, three pass defenses and an interception. He flashed some raw talent at times and was strong at finding the football.

Since Hairston was acquired in the preseason, he didn’t get much time to learn Williams’ system. Williams proved last season that if you give him time to work with a cornerback, he can make them better. That could be the case with Hairston with a full offseason. Given that and his cheap contract, Hairston has a chance to stick as a depth piece in case of any injuries.

Pros of cutting him

The Jets can’t wait much longer for Hairston to figure it out. He’s a fourth-year player out of Temple who has already been traded once. The Jets can add more depth pieces via the draft or free agency who are more talented than Hairston at this stage of his career.

Hairston does come on the cheap, but the fact that many other cornerbacks on the roster last season jumped him on the depth chart shows some red flags. The Jets can use his money to upgrade the cornerback position or another position on the roster.

The verdict

Given how much playing time Hairston lost at the end of the season, all signs point toward his release. The Jets need to clean house with their cornerbacks and Hairston should be included. Williams is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, but his powers don’t work on everybody and it certainly didn’t work with Hairston.

If Douglas chooses to keep Hairston, he’ll be buried at the bottom of the depth chart fighting for a backup spot. But Douglas would be wise to move on from him and see what else he can find.