New York Jets safety Ashtyn Davis has been a major disappointment since being drafted in the third round in 2020.
General manager Joe Douglas hasn’t given up on the former California product despite that, waiving and losing 2021 fifth rounder Jason Pinnock instead of Davis last summer. To this point, special teams has been his saving grace, but the expectation was that the 26-year-old safety’s time with Gang Green could be coming to an end in 2023 because of his jacked-up cap hit of $3.027 million this season.
The injury to Chuck Clark may have given Davis a new lease on life, however. In a June 24 53-man roster projection by Jets X-Factor’s Robby Sabo, the frustrating third-round selection survived training camp and the preseason once again.
“With Chuck Clark on the shelf for the season, Adrian Amos slides in at the free safety spot. But do the Jets have enough range at centerfield? This is a major question,” Sabo voiced regarding the NYJ safety room.
“I know the coaching staff loves Tony Adams, but they may not trust him yet to start at free safety,” he continued, adding later: “Another key position battle to watch this summer will be the No. 4 safety spot—Ashtyn Davis vs. Trey Dean. For now, we’ll roll with Davis, believing [special teams coordinator] Brant Boyer likes him too much.”
Adrian Amos Confidence Level Could Determine Whether or Not Ashtyn Davis Makes 53-Man Roster in 2023
It remains to be seen if there will be a major difference between the two, but it’s probably safe to say the Jets felt better about Clark (age 28) starting than Amos (age 30). After all, they traded for Clark as one of their first offseason moves for a reason.
That doesn’t mean Amos can’t play, it’s just the reality of a late-spring injury replacement who’s getting up there in age.
Because of that uncertainty — plus Davis’ special teams prowess — the Jets could choose to play it safe and go with the experience of Davis rather than the potential of Dean as Sabo suggested. We saw that last year with the Cal product making it over Pinnock, although they did take a chance on Adams too, to be fair.
If Clark looks like the iron man he’s been his entire career heading into Week 1 — which was the original plan — maybe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh decide to go with a fourth safety like Dean, Marquis Waters or Jarrick Bernard-Converse, but that didn’t happen.
Speaking of, “JBC” was drafted in 2023 and should definitely make the 53-man roster, but the key question will be his position. Bernard-Converse played a lot of cornerback at LSU, although rumor has it that the Jets could be planning to convert him into a free safety long-term. Would they really roll with a developmental hybrid as the fourth and final safety behind a potentially shaky pairing of Amos and Jordan Whitehead heading into Week 1?
It’s more likely Bernard-Converse is placed in a crossover role in year one, adding versatility and depth at cornerback, free safety and nickel. In this scenario, he might end up fifth on the depth chart at both safety and cornerback to start the year.
For what it’s worth, Sabo grouped him with the cornerbacks for the moment.
The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt Cuts Ashtyn Davis in 53-Man Projection
A competing 53-man projection was published by Zack Rosenblatt and The Athletic on June 28, and Davis was not as fortunate in this prediction.
“The coaches love Davis for what he brings on special teams, but it’ll be difficult to justify keeping him at $2.74 million [in potential] cap [savings] when they just drafted Bernard-Converse in the sixth round,” Rosenblatt reasoned.
He added that “Dean, a UDFA, could also fight his way onto the roster with a good training camp.”
Neither Davis nor Dean made the 53 in this projection, however, it was Bernard-Converse who swiped the fourth safety job with both Bryce Hall and Brandin Echols making it at cornerback. Of course, the latter’s Week 1 suspension could still leave the door open for a veteran like Davis or a youngster like Dean — but barring injury, Gang Green would have to cut ties with someone the following week.
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Jets Injury Could Provide Frustrating Draft Pick With New Lease on Life