Coming into last season, expectations were sky-high for the New York Jets‘ defense. On the heels of elite 2022 and 2023 campaigns, many expected the group to continue thriving, especially with an improved offense on the other side of the ball.
Well, it’s safe to say neither of those things wound up being the case. New York’s offense struggled with Aaron Rodgers under center. Defensively, everyone seemed to take a notable step back. The team cratered to 5-12 on the year. With Aaron Glenn now taking over as head coach, the latter group will have to earn its respect back.
That’s reflected in Pro Football Focus’ offseason secondary rankings. In the list published by John Kosko, the Jets fell to 11th overall.
Jets’ Secondary Lands Just Outside of PFF’s Top 10
Kosko singled out two positions that held New York back last season, also pointing to the franchise’s offseason additions as possible hinge points.
“The Jets entered 2024 with the NFL’s top-ranked secondary but struggled throughout the season, largely due to issues at safety and slot cornerback,” Kosko wrote. “They lost D.J. Reed in free agency but added Brandon Stephens and drafted Azareye’h Thomas to pair with superstar Sauce Gardner, widely regarded as the league’s best cornerback. Gardner will be the glue holding this unit together if the new additions and coaching staff can get on the same page.”
Even after a down season for his standards, there’s little doubt about Gardner’s status. He’s one of the NFL’s top-shelf cornerbacks and seems desperate to get back to that level in 2025. With him playing sticky man coverage, the Jets will be fine at one secondary spot. Elsewhere, Stephens cashed in on a solid stint with the Baltimore Ravens and faces a tall task to justify his contract. Those two will be the go-to pieces in the secondary.
Elsewhere, Michael Carter II has a favorable hold on the nickel role. Should he rise to the occasion this year, the Jets will be better because of it. Thomas and Qwan’tez Stiggers are the wild-cards of the cornerback unit. At safety, Tony Adams is coming off a heavy-usage 2024 but Andre Cisco is the new kid on the block. He’s a more than willing run defender, although his coverage chops are more questionable.
It’s safe to say that everyone might need some time to jell.
Improved Pass Defense Would Go Long Way for New York in 2025
While the Jets’ run defense undoubtedly needs to improve, having a quality secondary is also paramount. According to rbsdm.com, New York fielded the No. 21-ranked overall defense in EPA/play surrendered last season. Against the pass, things were even worse at 26th overall in dropback EPA/play.
Luckily for the Jets, players like Stephens seem to have already identified what must change. Ball production is critical. In 2024, the defense ranked 30th in passes defended with 57. The group was 28th in interception percentage at 1.3. Despite being targeted deeper down the field (8.3-yard average depth) than many teams, Jeff Ulbrich’s unit struggled to challenge for the football.
The Jets’ hope is that things will change under Steve Wilks. Not only would that lead to a better run defense in theory, but it’d give more opportunities to a new-look offense with Justin Fields at the helm. Generating turnovers – or simply knocking passes away on late downs – has a ripple effect that could see this No. 11 ranking look low in retrospect.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jets’ Secondary Takes Step Back in Offseason Ranking appeared first on Heavy Sports.