Getty New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols making a play during an NFL game.
The New York Jets have been a punching bag for the media for over 11 years.
For the most part, they have no one to blame but themselves for their litany of mistakes. However, sometimes they are called out because it is the easy thing to do but it isn’t always warranted.
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Bold Take Cotton
Super Bowl champion and longtime former NFL player Chris Canty joined Greeny on ESPN radio to talk about the Jets this week.
When talking about the defense heading into 2022, Canty had some serious questions about the secondary:
“I like what they have done on the defensive side of the ball Carlin but I will say this even though they picked Sauce Gardner fourth overall, I’m still worried about that secondary. They did add Jordan Whitehead and Lamarcus Joyner I think those are solid veterans but I still think they are a little thin at the cornerback spots. So we’ll have to wait and see with that.”
.@ChrisCanty99 called out the #Jets DBs, ‘even though they picked Sauce Gardner (@iamSauceGardner) No. 4 overall I’m still worried about that secondary. I think they’re still a little thin at the cornerback spots’: 🎙 #Greeny 🤨🧐 HUH?! 🤔🫢 well that’s a take #TakeFlight
The Jets haven’t been to the playoffs in 11 years and during that same time span have only had one winning season.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of things you could point out about the Jets to say why they’re terrible in one area or another. The secondary isn’t one of those things.
Gang Green completely reinvented their cornerback group this offseason by investing the No. 4 overall pick (highest-drafted defender in Joe Douglas’ history as GM) and over $33 million in free agency dollars.
On top of what the Jets added at corner, they also signed Jordan Whitehead to start at safety. He was recently listed as the No. 2 most overlooked NFL offseason addition in 2022 by Bleacher Report.
The only projected starter who is returning to the lineup barring something unforeseen is Michael Carter II.
Doesn’t Hold Much Water
The worst part of what Canty said is that the Jets are a “little thin” at cornerback.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Jets’ two starting corners from last year (Bryce Hall and Brandin Echols) are now both slated to be depth pieces.
That’s because the Jets drafted Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner who was the consensus No. 1 corner in the 2022 NFL draft class. They double-dipped at the position by signing DJ Reed Jr taking him away from the Seattle Seahawks.
You could make a strong argument that cornerback is one of, if not, the deepest positional unit on the Jets heading into 2022.
If you wanted to nitpick something about the Jets’ secondary you could squint and say Lamarcus Joyner isn’t great at the other safety spot next to Whitehead. That would be a more than fair criticism, but everything else? Seems a little questionable.
Jake Asman said as much calling Canty’s take “lazy” in a live video stream on his YouTube channel this week.
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Super Bowl Champ Strangely Calls Out Jets Corners: ‘A Little Thin’