Getty New York Jets safety Will Parks in 2021.
In the modern age of social media and the NFL, you never know who’s listening.
That was the case last night on September 13 when New York Jets safety Will Parks corrected a fan who was pushing an inaccurate narrative about his play-style as a defensive back. “I feel like Will Parks was more of a nickel safety though?” Said the fan after another called for him to start over veteran Lamarcus Joyner. “I gotta rewatch film… But he seemed to play most of his snaps underneath.”
Parks interjected confidently: “I’m a safety who can play nickel and the dime. That’s the difference. [100 emoji].”
Should Jets Replace Lamarcus Joyner With Will Parks?
Joyner had a nightmare Week 1 performance, so much so that Jets fans are already calling for his job. The only issue is that there’s not much experience behind the nine-year NFL pro.
Tony Adams is an undrafted rookie and Ashtyn Davis is — well, Ashtyn Davis.
It’s one of the reasons the Jets re-signed Parks to the practice squad. He’s got the experience that the other two backup safeties lack. He also outplayed Joyner most of training camp and the preseason.
Jets X-Factor co-founder and media member Robby Sabo gave his thoughts on the discussion, backing Parks over the fan: “He’s not a ‘nickel safety.’ He’s a combo safety, can play both [strong safety] and [free safety] in today’s NFL (a safety with traditional traits who can also man a bit when asked). I’d have him at [strong safety] on the depth chart, but today, you gotta cover as any [safety] type (he can).”
It’s fair to note that the Jets have shown no interest in moving on from Joyner after one game but you can tell that head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas are starting to feel the pressure based on their level of urgency.
The Jets held a punter competition following Braden Mann’s lousy Week 1 effort and Saleh voiced that a veteran kicker like Greg Zuerlein must get better in the coming games. No one has been released just yet but the message is clear — show signs of improvement or be replaced.
You have to think a 32-year-old on a one-year contract like Joyner is on the chopping blocking too, despite his guaranteed cap hit of $2.1 million.
For Saleh and Douglas, the 2022 campaign will come down to one thing and one thing alone — wins. You can talk about the talent on the roster or the future but at the end of the day, nothing else matters.
If they continue to lose and decide a reserve like Parks or Adams gives them the better chance to win, Joyner will eventually see his opportunity fade.
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE
The Jets announced that Parks will be activated to the 53-man roster shortly after this article was posted. Wide receiver/special teamer Diontae Spencer was also cut in order to clear two practice squad roles for CB Jimmy Moreland and P Ty Long, whose signings were first reported on September 13 — more info on Moreland below.
We’ve signed S Will Parks to the active roster.
We’ve signed CB Jimmy Moreland and P/K Ty Long to the practice squad and released WR Diontae Spencer from the practice squad.
The Jets had one open spot on the active roster after moving offensive tackle Duane Brown to the injured reserve. Week 1 OT elevation, Grant Hermanns, reverted back to the practice squad per NFL rules.
That leaves Gang Green with banged-up journeyman Conor McDermott as the only O-tackle on the roster behind George Fant and rookie Max Mitchell.
Jets Sign CB Jimmy Moreland to Practice Squad
In other news, Pro Football Network insider Aaron Wilson reported that the Jets did finally sign nickel-cornerback Jimmy Moreland to the practice squad late last night on September 13.
Jets signed Jimmy Moreland to practice squad, per a league source
They brought in Moreland for a workout on September 6, but the CB left team facilities without a deal. He was being pursued by multiple suitors, according to reports, ending up with Gang Green after a brief NFL workout tour.
This practice squad move addressed a clear lack of reserve depth at the position after the Jets lost Javelin Guidry, Isaiah Dunn and Rachad Wildgoose on waivers this summer. Some fans called for a reunion with Guidry as the backup nickel after he was surprisingly released, but the former UDFA was claimed by the Las Vegas Raiders before New York could get their hands on him.
The Jets waited until Guidry was officially unavailable to ink Moreland, so there may have actually been some interest there had he cleared waivers.
At the NFL level, Moreland has started 10 games and appeared in 37. He’s only managed one interception during his three-year tenure, although the nickel has defended five passes with a career catch percentage allowed of 75.7% on Pro Football Focus.
Those stats yielded a coverage grade that has regressed from 61.3 in his rookie campaign to 56.7 later on.
Moreland’s greatest deficiency appears to be his tackling, however. PFF charged him with 19 missed tackles during his two seasons in Washington with a concerning 18.6% missed tackle rate throughout his career.