Getty Ex-Green Bay Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton Dix running off the football field after a great game.
Every New York Jets fan was welcomed with some terrible news on Wednesday evening.
Their star safety, Marcus Maye, suffered an ankle sprain during the Week 3, 26-0 loss, to the Denver Broncos. That injury will put him on the shelf for the next three to four weeks.
To add insult to injury, that wasn’t the worst news that came down the docket.
Moments after that news broke, Maye’s agent, Erik Burkhardt shared a disturbing message on social media that suggested a potential trade was on the horizon once the former Florida star regains his health.
With that at the forefront of the mind, the Jets need to plan for the present and the future.
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Current State of Affairs Aren’t Great
The Jets’ entire defense has imploded over the last few months, but in particular, the safety position has been rough.
Both opening day starters are gone, Lamarcus Joyner tore his triceps (out for the season) and Maye is out at a minimum for the next month.
Right now there starters heading into the Week 4 home game vs the Tennessee Titans are projected to be Adrian Colbert and Jarrod Wilson, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
A glimmer of good news is former third-rounder Ashtyn Davis is eligible to come off of injured reserve this week. The bad news is he hasn’t been able to practice and be involved in football operations for the entire season to date.
Seems hard to believe he’ll go from IR to starting lineup in such a short amount of time.
The only other options that are available are Sheldrick Redwine (member of the practice squad) and Sharrod Neasman (who was also on injured reserve).
Time to Call an Audible at the Line of Scrimmage
With that in mind, the Jets need to go outside the organization to add some star power for the present and the future.
One name that would certainly titillate the senses would be former Pro Bowl safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Currently the 28-year old is a member of the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad.
The former first-rounder has all the talent in the world and has earned a reputation as a ballhawk during his seven years in the pros.
He has played in over 96 career games and during that time has recorded 16 interceptions, over 522 tackles, and has forced four fumbles and recovered five more.
Something else that should be of intrigue is his scheme familiarity, earlier this summer Clinton-Dix spent a few weeks with the San Francisco 49ers.
The talent is there and the Jets are desperate for playmakers and that’s exactly what this former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide can bring to the table.
Here are a few alternative plans the green and white could also pursue for the rest of the 2021 season:
On the roster
Both rookies Jamien Sherwood out of Auburn and Hamsah Nasirildeen out of Florida State played safety in college. While the Jets’ coaching staff transitioned them to linebacker, in case of emergency they could flip either player back.
Another player to keep an eye out for is JT Hassell. He spent time with the team during training camp and by all accounts was super impressive. It’s odd that considering all of their injuries to the position they haven’t brought him back into the fold.
Some other free-agent options worth keeping an eye on
- Tre Boston
- A pro’s pro with a ton of experience that could prove to be a stabilizing force.
- Kenny Vaccaro
- Super productive and highly intelligent player.
- Damarious Randall
- Versatility (has played both corner and safety).
- DJ Swearinger
- An old-school thumper that can be a punisher/enforcer inside the box.
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