Fixing the Jets Secondary

/ New York Jets / By

Thank to Joe Douglas understanding proper football management and balancing a budget in just one season that Mike Maccagnan imploded, the Jets have something that is not just crucial to NFL success but a breath of refreshing air:

Options

Now let’s take a look at the Jets many options of fixing their secondary, specifically their cornerback situation.

CB1

Option 1- Sign Richard Sherman

Richard Sherman since joining the NFL has been a very vocal leader and motivator of every team he has played for. Two words always used in describing Richard Sherman are “fiery” and “leader.” He is a huge fan of Robert Saleh, his former DC and Jets new HC, and its very understandable why. Saleh is a fiery motivator. Saleh pushes those around him to become better and his players would run through a brick wall for him. He gets riled up and riles up those around him, his energy is contagious. On top of his personality, Saleh understands defense well and has turned the 49ers into one of the best defenses in the NFL since his tenure there. He plans to do the same with the Jets. Sherman was the 1st player to advocate for Deshaun Watson to come here, and of course he sites the new hiring of Robert Saleh as the reason why. There is no reason Richard Sherman wouldn’t want to reunite with his former DC, and the Jets need for him makes him coming here even more appealing. His leadership would be invaluable, especially in the mentorship of young CBs like Bryce Hall and Bless Austin, but more than that, he still has some left in the tank. He will be 33 next season, but hasn’t lost much since breaking 30 like most do (looking at you Darrelle Revis). Sure he won’t be able to keep up with legit burners in stride downfield anymore, but he doesn’t have to. He can still cover within 10 yards as well as anybody, especially in zone where he thrives. He can still press as well as anybody at the line of scrimmage and a safety can always help him over the top. He wouldn’t be expensive either; just a 1 year deal around $7-8M. Sherman and Hall on the outside, with Hall possibly beating out Sherman at CB1, that could be a very excellent duo.

Option 2- Address through Draft

This is probably the best option, but it depends how the draft goes. Joe Douglas has proven with trading down and still getting Denzel Mims he understands what other teams value and how they plan to address their draft decisions. That is a huge underappreciated aspect of Douglas’ abilities. If he feels a cornerback like Jaycee Horn will be available at 23, that is a great pick and an immediate CB1. In the later rounds there are guys that have a lot of potential as well, such as Asante Samuel Jr, Rodarius Williams, Elijah Molden, and others. Again this depends how the draft board falls and how Douglas values certain players, but by far my favorite option is Jaycee Horn.

Option 3- Trust that Bryce Hall is ready

This option is appealing but premature. Hall had a fantastic rookie season, being sticky and aggressive in coverage as well making a lot of pass breakups showing excellent ball tracking skills, but being a CB1 is a big step. He did well as a CB1 in limited play last season, but as many of us know and saw in Bless Austin, the sophomore slump is very real. I am very encouraged by what I’ve seen in Hall, and am tempted to give him a shot to prove he can be a CB1, but if he fails and you don’t have Sherman or a rookie to fall back on, then what?

Slot

Now lets say Horn is off the board at 23, which he definitely could be as many GMs and analysts are seeing what I’ve seen in him for a while. If so, there isn’t any other CBs I like that high, so let’s say Jets address CB later in draft, like 2nd-3rd or later. I mentioned Rodarius Williams and Elijah Molden, two guys that could make good outside CBs and be steals in this draft, but I REALLY like Asante Samuel Jr.

If the Jets miss out on Horn, the other guys I like can be good, but Samuel Jr is arguable better than Horn. However, due to his size he is a slot CB, but I don’t see that as a problem. Joe Douglas found our possible next star at slot CB as a UDFA, and his name is Javelin Guidry. I’ve shown why I like him a lot and why I want to give him a bigger role next season. He is young and under contract and has elite speed. Running a 4.29 40, Guidry can keep up with any receiver, including Tyreek Hill. I questioned his coverage skills and ball tracking skills, but his speed and agility is prototypical and elite. Last season as a UDFA he put my fears to bed. In limited play he was very good in coverage and much more physical than I thought he could be. He also tracked the ball well in the air. He was so good he was only a few points in his PFF grade below our star slot CB Brian Poole.

Guidry is the reason I am willing to let Poole walk, a player nearing 30 most likely signing another expensive 1 year deal. However, what about the 2nd slot?

2nd slot? What’s that?

If more than 3 CBs are on the field, it is usually because the opposing team is lining up in 4 WR sets. When they do this, 2 of those receivers will be lined up on the inside on opposite sides. There are other formations that can be utilized in this combo as well, but inevitably 2 of the receivers will usually be on the inside. One thing that has always boggled my mind is why that opposite interior CB position isn’t referred to as the 2nd slot. It is literally the mirror image of the primary slot position on the other side of the formation. It is why I always found it peculiar that teams are so worried in those situations of having multiple big body outside CBs and just 1 slot CB. 2 slot CBs and 1 less outside CB is more ideal. Plus, as Douglas thankfully has said he understands, it is always better to build your team through the draft rather than through free agency. This is why I would be very happy if we draft Asante Samuel Jr. Either he beats out Guidry and plays the primary slot CB, or he comes in as a 2nd slot in deeper WR sets. The two of them would make an excellent interior duo, both with elite speed and agility, blanketing the interior of both sides of the field.

CB2

Option 1- Address in Draft and/or FA

2 CBs I mentioned I like as later round picks that have outside potential are Rodarius Williams of Oklahoma St and Elijah Molden of Washington. Both could be immediate plug and play CB2s, maybe even CB1s. There are other CBs with potential in the draft as well, and I trust the players Douglas is high on, but in free agency there are 2 CBs I’d really like to go after. They are Ahkello Witherspoon and Cameron Sutton. Both of these players will be cheaper than resigning Poole and both are younger so this plus the oncoming of Guidry I do not resign Poole. Plus both Witherspoon and Sutton can be signed long term and with both being 26 both can be long term answers for the Jets. Sutton can play both outside as well in the slot, making him very versatile. I have been high on Sutton a while, and you can see a much more detailed assessment of mine on Sutton here: https://takeflightmedia.org/2020/12/15/the-jets-have-to-get-these-2-corner-backs-in-free-agency/

As you can see he is very impressive. Witherspoon is a prototypical outside CB at 6’2″ 195 lbs. He is decently fast and agile and is very aggressive and sticky in coverage. He was drafted 66th overall back in 2017 by the 49ers. This is why I have come to lean more toward Witherspoon over Sutton if we only sign 1, but both would be great additions. Witherspoon has 4 years of experience in Saleh’s system, as well since he was drafted same year Saleh started with 49ers, it stands to reason Saleh was high on him and wanted him selected. I don’t see why he still wouldn’t be, especially after his last season. Witherspoon had a very solid rookie season, then struggled the following 2. However, he seemed to figure it out in his contract year, having his best season ever in 2020 and posting a PFF of 80.2. Witherspoon is exactly what you look for in an outside CB, while Sutton is a versatile piece that can play almost anywhere in the secondary.

Option 2- Roll with Bless Austin

As you saw above in my tweet on Bless and Hall, though both are very different players, both have similar stories coming out of college. Austin was great at Temple when he played, and I felt if he could stay healthy in the NFL he could become an excellent outside CB, even a CB1. Unfortunately that hasn’t been in the cards for him yet, as he had a solid rookie season but struggled mightily last season. However, last season the entire defense was held back by the ineptitude of Gregg Williams. I and many others felt he wasn’t using his CBs to their strengths, as Bless is good in man coverage and struggled in zone. Hall is the opposite, but proved last season he was better in man coverage than I expected from him. That is why I am so high on him. With Bless though, I am hoping he was used out of his comfort zone last season and can have a bounce back 3rd year. He is hoping for the same as well, but trusting him to be a good CB2 without a fall back option would be a huge risk.

Its wonderful to see so many options, isn’t it? There are many combinations of the above that could provide the Jets with a vastly improved secondary in 2021. My favorites are getting Horn in the draft, though him falling to us is not a guarantee. That’s why I like the idea of signing Sherman and Witherspoon in FA, maybe signing Sutton as well, and if we miss out on Horn, taking Samuel Jr in the 2nd or 3rd and/or taking either Williams or Molden later on as well.

So many options. Thank you Joe Douglas.