Getty Longtime NFL safety Tre Boston making a play against the Washington Football team.
“We have been decimated with injuries” is how New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh described the current status of his safety position.
From Marcus Maye to Lamarcus Joyner to Zane Lewis the commonality among them all is season-ending injuries.
This has placed the team in an extremely precarious position with this level of attrition heading into Week 10.
ALL the latest Jets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Jets newsletter here!
An Interesting Name to Keep an Eye On
With all of those injuries at safety, the Jets will have to get creative to fill that clear and obvious void on the roster.
One name that should be on the Jets’ radar is veteran safety Tre Boston.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter recently shared that the 29-year-old is “now healthy, in shape, vaccinated and willing to sign on with a practice squad.”
According to NFL Trade Rumors, Boston is the best available safety on the free-agent market.
The veteran has been in the NFL since 2014 and during that seven-year span, he has played for three different franchises.
Boston has played in 104 games and has started 76 of those and has been insanely productive:
- 15 interceptions
- 42 pass deflections
- 429 combined tackles
The green and white could use that level of experience and playmaking ability in their secondary. Over the last four years, Boston has graded out as one of the best coverage safeties in all of football per Pro Football Focus.
Panthers release safety Tre Boston. He was used around the line of scrimmage much more than in previous years. Still a very good free safety.
From 2017-20, one of the best free safety @PFF coverage grades in the league
Instead of rushing into a situation this offseason, Boston chose to play the waiting game despite interest from “multiple teams this offseason.” With the Jets, he would be guaranteed to get playing time and if he played well enough it’s possible that could turn into a lucrative deal next offseason.
Saleh Confirmed Someone Is Coming In
#Jets HC Robert Saleh confirmed to @RichCimini that they have ‘tight end & safety’ workouts coming in this week & they’re hoping to add a guy or 2 + talked about how those position groups along w/ EDGE rusher ‘have been decimated’ over last couple of weeks: #BUFvsNYJ #TakeFlight
During his open availability with the media on Monday, head coach Robert Saleh confirmed that the Jets will be bringing in a group of tight ends and safeties. He also wouldn’t rule out the possibility of adding more depth at EDGE rusher if the right opportunity presented itself.
Although the immediate concern is at safety.
The short-term prospects are scary, to say the least. They have three healthy safeties on the active roster in Ashtyn Davis, Jarrod Wilson, and Sharrod Neasman.
It is also worth noting on the 16-man practice squad Gang Green also has Natrell Jamerson if they choose to sign him to the 53 or elevate him temporarily for the matchup versus the Buffalo Bills.
In the short term, things don’t look great for the Jets, but they look even worse long term.
With Maye’s season-ending injury and the fact he is currently playing on the franchise tag, it seems extremely unlikely he’ll return next season. Plus Davis has been a disappointment since being selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of California.
There are no long-term answers at the position and that’ll have to be a priority next offseason for the Jets. For now, they can do themselves a solid by adding a proven veteran in Boston who at the very least can hold down the fort for 2021 and maybe beyond that.
Follow @BoyGreen25 & @obermuller_nyj on Twitter for all the latest New York Jets breaking news, rumors, fresh takes and more!
READ NEXT: Camera Captures 2 Ex-Jets Stars in Sideline Clash Amid Blowout Loss [LOOK]