Getty Former New York Jets safety Jamal Adams in 2018.
The New York Jets roster appears to be far more star-studded than it’s been in recent years.
Opponents will gameplan for players like Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, Quinnen Williams, Garrett Wilson, Carl Lawson and friends, Breece Hall and of course, quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Who on this potential playoff challenger would observers label as “underappreciated,” however?
That’s what CBS Sports analyst Cody Benjamin set out to determine on July 7, naming one underappreciated athlete on each NFL roster, and the Jets choice was a bit unexpected.
Jets SS Jordan Whitehead Called ‘Underappreciated’ by NFL Analyst
Benjamin went with starting strong safety Jordan Whitehead when he got to Gang Green, and his explanation featured a couple of blasts from the past.
“For years, the Jets got results but also drama with Jamal Adams and then Marcus Maye at safety,” he stated. “Now, Whitehead offers a quieter but just-as-steady presence as the back-end patroller.”
Despite how things turned out for Adams in New York, I’m still not quite sure most Jets fans would take Whitehead over the talented-but-egocentric former first rounder if a hypothetical one-for-one swap was on the table. The same probably goes for Maye, but then again, supporters only have one year to judge Whitehead on thus far.
“[Whitehead’s] had eight pass breakups in back-to-back years, at least two picks in three straight, and he stands to benefit from Year 2 of the Sauce Gardner experience on Robert Saleh’s ‘D,’” Benjamin reasoned.
Let’s take a closer look into the strong safety’s 2022 campaign with the Jets.
Grading Jordan Whitehead’s First Season With the Jets
Some pegged Whitehead as a cut candidate this spring, but head coach Robert Saleh quickly snuffed out that theory when he told reporters that he thinks the veteran will be much better during his second campaign inside the new system.
So, should the Jets have replaced Whitehead in 2023? Or is he really the unsung hero that Benjamin describes?
Whithead was graded out as the 38th safety in the NFL (64 starters) in terms of his overall defensive marks in 2022 according to Pro Football Focus (minimum 50% snaps played). His pass coverage was actually his strongest area, which is surprising considering the Jets brought him in for his ability to stifle the run.
He ranked 23rd in pass coverage, just behind Maye, allowing a lower-than-average catch rate of 64.7%. Whitehead’s two touchdowns allowed matched his two interceptions, and quarterbacks only threw for a passer rating of 85.8 when targeting him last year.
In short, his ability in coverage was certainly underappreciated. Unfortunately, his tackling, run defense and pass rushing prowess were probably worse than expected — although the latter was a very small sample size.
As a run defender, Whitehead’s “stop percentage” ranked 15th in the league for safeties (minimum 50% snaps played). His average depth of tackle wasn’t bad either, at 5.7 yards allowed per tackle — which ranked tied for 11th. The issue was his tackling, and this was really the story of Whitehead’s season.
His 20.3% missed tackle rate on run defense ranked 58th for safeties! Overall, he missed tackles at a 15.6% clip, which was also tied for 58th among starting safeties.
This wasn’t just an issue for Whitehead. Seven Jets defenders had a higher missed tackle percentage than the starting strong safety — including major contributors like Bryce Huff, Carl Lawson and Nathan Shepherd.
Those numbers must improve in 2023, and Jets fans probably won’t agree with Benjamin’s assertion until they do.
Having said that, poor tackling was Whitehead’s only major deficiency in 2022. If he can correct that issue while keeping his other pass coverage and run defense metrics intact, he has a chance to turn into a top-20 safety this season with the help of Gardner and Reed on the outside.
In case you were wondering, Maye ranked tied for 21st at safety in 2022 among those who played at least 50% of snaps. Adams — who spent most of the season on the injured reserve — did not register enough snaps to place.