Getty Former New York Jets safety Marcus Maye walking off of an NFL field.
A former New York Jets draft pick has returned to the division.
Veteran safety Marcus Maye has signed a contract with the Miami Dolphins in the latter stages of free agency, per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
Schultz revealed that “multiple teams” were in the mix, but Maye “loves the roster in Miami and wants to be part of a Super Bowl contender — which he believes Miami has.”
Breaking: Former Jets and Saints safety Marcus Maye is signing with the #Dolphins, per source.
Maye had multiple teams interested but loves the roster in Miami and wants to be part of a Super Bowl contender — which he believes Miami has.
Discount Double Check for the Jets
Rich Cimini of ESPN has already stated that the Jets will roll with what they have at the safety position. However, that hasn’t stopped some fans from speculating about adding another proven body to the room.
Earlier this offseason Jets analyst Joe Caporoso asked about the team adding Maye to Connor Hughes of SNY on “Badlands.”
Hughes explained it was an amicable splitting of ways between the two parties when Maye bolted in free agency to the New Orleans Saints on a three-year deal for $22.5 million. He also said he wouldn’t be “surprised” if a reunion were to happen between the Jets and Maye this offseason.
Could we see a post #NFLDraft #Jets reunion with veteran safety Marcus Maye?
@JCaporoso floated that idea out to @Connor_J_Hughes on April 22.
‘Maye didn’t end poorly [his tenure in NY],’ Hughes explained. ‘That wasn’t like a Jamal Adams separation. This is one where they [the…
Not only did the Jets not get Maye this offseason, but he went to a division rival. To add insult to injury, the reason Maye selected the Dolphins is because he “loves” their roster and truly believes they are a “Super Bowl contender.”
If Maye believes Miami is a title contender, then the Jets have plenty of competition in the AFC East. According to Vegas Insider, all of the major sportsbooks have the Buffalo Bills with the fourth-best odds to win the Super Bowl this season.
Players inside the locker room at 1 Jets Drive fancy themselves a title contender. That would make three championship-caliber teams inside the same division, the AFC East.
Maye Has Proven to Be a Very Solid NFL Player
Maye, 31, originally entered the NFL back in 2017 as the No. 39 overall pick in the second round. The Jets made team history by selecting safeties with each of their first two picks in that draft (Jamal Adams being the other).
From 2008 through 2017, the Jets had a historic run of ineptitude in the second round of the draft. It was a running joke among fans that the second round was cursed for the Jets. Over that span, New York selected: offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse, wide receiver Stephen Hill, quarterback Geno Smith, tight end Jace Amaro, wide receiver Devin Smith, and quarterback Christian Hackenberg.
However, Maye ended that drought in 2017. He played for the Jets for five seasons. That run includes his standard four-year rookie contract and then the team franchise tagged him in 2021.
The former Floria product started every game he ever played for the Jets (60-for-60) and put up numbers. Maye had six interceptions, four forced fumbles, 24 pass deflections, 3.5 sacks, and he finished with 312 total tackles.
Now the green and white will have to deal with their former draft pick at least twice this season when the Jets and Dolphins square up if not a third time in the postseason.