Buffalo Bills: Ranking the cornerbacks of the AFC East

4) New York Jets

Projected Starters: Arthur Maulet, Pierre Desir, Brian Poole

Addressing the New York Jets secondary was on the radar of general manager Joe Douglas this past offseason, next to rebuilding the offensive line. He had to start somewhere and he decided to focus on the offensive line this time around. But the Jets secondary wasn’t as bad as people made them out to be. They were in the middle of the pack (17th) in passing yards allowed for the season, allowing 3,779 yards and compiled a total of 12 interceptions. This is a very young secondary and there will be a lot of pressure put on their shoulders to perform but there is much to be hopeful for.

Arthur Malet and Blessaun Austin are not household names that grab your attention when you see them, but they do show some promise. Malet has been in the league for three seasons, starting with the New Orleans Saints in a supporting role. He came to the Jets in 2019 where he played a more prominent role in the defense, playing in 12 games. Austin came in late last season as a rookie and performed well after starting the season on the PUP list. Not much was expected of him seeing that he has been suffering from multiple ACL injuries, but the Jets are high on their 2019 sixth round project, so much will be expected of him this upcoming season.

Bryce Hall was selected out of Virginia in the fifth round and was considered by many to be a steal for the Jets in this years NFL Draft. He is a lockdown corner that has speed, size, athleticism, and ball skills that will be exciting to watch for years to come.

To add some veteran depth in the secondary, the Jets signed Pierre Desir from the Indianapolis Colts to a one year deal worth $3.75 million, but could be worth up to a maximum of $5.5 million. His length, speed and aggressiveness will be welcomed even though his on field product has diminished after a productive 2018 campaign. His struggles can be largely attributed to a nagging hamstring injury that keeps following him around. But the young guys will welcome his veteran leadership.

One move that cannot be overlooked is the re-signing of Brian Poole. A good player at his position who brings a disciplined style of play to the Jets secondary.

The cornerback position is a big spot of weakness heading into the 2020 season. Long gone are the days of Darrelle Revis and since his departure, the Jets have been lacking the elite corner they are in dire need of. Things look to be headed in the right direction and if the latter part of the 2019 season is any indication of what’s to come, then the Jets should be in good shape moving forward.