It is no secret that the Jets secondary is awful. We see it week in and week out. While the Jets wide receivers can never seem to get separation, other teams do it against the Jets with ease. This season just like last season, the safeties have picked up a lot of the slack. They help the numbers not look as gruesome as they really are, but they are still bad. Other than Brian Poole, the Jets haven’t had a good coverage corner back since Darrelle Revis.
This season, the Jets opponents have a 46% 3rd down conversion rate, while the Jets only have a 33%. This 46% against is 7th worst in the entire NFL. While opponents have only rushed for 119 more yards than the Jets, they have thrown for 1,569 yards more. The Jets opponents average about 2 more yards per play than the Jets do. The Jets defense has had 52 red zone attempts against them, which is 3rd worst in the entire NFL. The Jets opponents also have 17 more passing touchdowns then they do. Now I know the horrendously poor production of the Jets offense contributes to these differences, but the defensive pass numbers don’t lie. They are bad. These are the 2 corner backs the Jets should prioritize as targets in free agency.
Cameron Sutton
Cameron Sutton was a 3rd round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 draft. At first glance at Sutton you would think he was just a slot corner back, as he is just 188lbs and 5’11”. However, if you watched him play, you’d think he was bigger. He can play outside or in the slot, and has good speed and agility. He was okay his first 2 seasons, but really found his groove in 2019. His PFF grade last season was 74.5. Sutton only allowed a 56% completion percentage against him in coverage in 2019, which is very low. He also only allowed 9.4 yards per completion against him in coverage, which is low to average. In comparison, in 2019, Marcus Maye 20.1 yards per completion. He also only allowed 5.3 yards per target, which was 20th best in the entire NFL. His passing rate allowed when targeted was only 54.1, which was 10th best in the entire NFL.
Now fast forward to this season. He hasn’t been as good in coverage, but this season he has been credited for playing his most physical football of his career. At his smaller size, he has proven this season he can play in coverage against anybody. He has a PFF of 71.7 this season, which is still good. He has career highs in passes defended (8), which is tied for 3rd among all the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also has career highs in total tackles (27), solo tackles (23), and forced fumbles (3). His 3 forced fumbles leads the Steelers this season. His completion percentage against is higher this season (65.2%) as well as his yards per completion against (10.9) but both are still good. His yards allowed per target is also still low at 7.1.
If the Jets sign Cameron Sutton, he is immediately their best coverage corner back on the team. If he hits free agency, which there is a good chance of, Douglas has to sign him.
Levi Wallace
Levi Wallace somehow went undrafted in 2018, and the Buffalo Bills signed him as a UDFA. From almost his first day with the Bills, Wallace has been their CB2, and a good one at that. Just like with Sutton, by looking at Wallace you would assume like many NFL teams did that he can only play inside. That assumption would be wrong. Though 6 feet tall, he doesn’t even weight 180lbs soaking wet. However, you would never know that watching him play. He has good speed and is very physical with receivers, but one of his best qualities are his ball tracking skills. His ability to locate the ball in the air and break up passes is what you hope for in all corner backs. However, he will be a restricted free agent next season and the Jets may not even get an opportunity at him. If they do, they have to take it.
Unlike Sutton who came on in a big way last season, Levi Wallace has looked like a potential star since coming into the NFL. In 2018, his first season, Wallace had a RIDICULOUSLY low completion percentage against of just 50%. That was 10th best in the entire NFL! Even more impressive, he allowed only 4.7 yards per target, which was 5th best in the entire NFL. Its no wonder he earned a whopping PFF grade of 83.5. In 2019, he had career numbers in total tackles (76), solo tackles (66), TFLs (4), INTs (2), and passes defended (9). He had the most total tackles, solo tackles, and TFLs of any Bills cornerback in 2019. He was also tied for 2nd on the Bills with his 9 passes defended. His completion percentage against went up in 2019, but this season it is back down to 58.6%, Due to injury Wallace has only played in 9 games this season, but still has 42 total tackles, 2 INTs, and 6 passes defended.
Conclusion
As you can see above, both Cameron Sutton and Levi Wallace are the real deal. Next season, both Cameron Sutton and Levi Wallace will be only 26 years old. They are both in the prime of their careers, and both should be signed long term by the Jets. They both specialize and thrive in man coverage as well. Factor all of this in, as well as the above, these are the 2 corner backs Joe Douglas needs to pursue in free agency. If both are signed, this could be the Jets best corner back tandem since Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie.