The majority of starters in the New York Jets secondary are written in pen. However, if an injury befalls the green and white, they have the ultimate insurance policy waiting on the bench.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic highlighted defensive back Isaiah Oliver as someone who “has stood out as a playmaker this spring.”
Oliver returned to the team this offseason on a one-year $2.5 million contract in free agency.
Oliver’s Versatility Is Among the Best in the League
The former Colorado product entered the league in 2018 as the No. 58 overall pick in the second round.
During his time in the NFL, Oliver has suited up for three teams, including the Jets.
“Oliver (6-0, 202) played in 17 games for the Green & White last season and started 7. He totaled 57 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 pass defenses, and 1 sack. He lined up at multiple positions and took 357 snaps at nickel, 60 at safety, and 16 at outside corner,” Jets team reporter Ethan Greenberg posted.
That versatility was a major help for the Jets last year as their secondary dealt with an array of injuries.
Former interim Jets head coach Jeff Ulbrich told a story last season about Michael Carter II going down in pre-game warmups and Oliver stepping up to the plate.
“Yeah, he is the Swiss army knife. It’s interesting, he is such a rare individual. MC gets hurt during pre-game, not like we’re in pajamas a couple of hours pre-game. I’m talking about 15 minutes before the ball is kicked off. So that’s challenging. To prep a player who hasn’t had any reps or wasn’t ready to rock and roll at that particular position. For me to go up to Isaiah in that circumstance and say, ‘Hey, can you play nickel?’ Yes. What calls are you comfortable with? All of them. We go into the locker room, and I hand him the call sheet, and he looks at it front and back. He is like, ‘call it all.’ So to have a player like that from a coaching perspective is brings you so much more security and he’s an invaluable piece to what we’re trying to get accomplished.
15 minutes before kickoff of the #Jets vs #Vikings game, Isaiah Oliver found out he was going to be starting in place of Michael Carter II who got hurt during pre-game warmups.
Unbelievable. Deserves a TON of props!
🎥 @nyjets #JetUppic.twitter.com/Ca2WW26pAY
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) October 12, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Jets Will Also Get Some Important Leadership From Oliver
There is plenty of youth on this Jets roster, let alone specifically in the secondary. Whether the Jets decide to shake anything up with the depth chart, Oliver will serve an important role.
He has proven capable of stepping in at a moment’s notice, but his experience around the league is an invaluable resource for this defense and the team as a whole.
Oliver’s career numbers have a stat sheet stuffing quotient to it. He has totaled 327 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles, 39 pass deflections, three interceptions, 11 tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hits.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post $2.5 Million Swiss Army Knife Is Providing Ultimate Insurance for Jets appeared first on Heavy Sports.