The beginning of training camp has not stopped general manager Joe Douglas’ pursuit of additional cornerback depth.
New York put in a waiver claim for M.J. Stewart before he wound up with the Browns, indicating that Douglas has an eye on beefing up the position before the beginning of the regular season. Fortunately for the Jets, there are still a few serviceable free agents left for the taking. Logan Ryan would have been an ideal cornerback acquisition for New York, but he views himself more as a safety at this point in his career. That makes him a non-factor in this equation, but it doesn’t mean the Jets can’t land an impact player.
With that being said, here are four free agent corners that could help address New York’s lack of depth at the position.
Dre Kirkpatrick
Dre Kirkpatrick endured an injury-riddled 2019 season and is now 30 years old, but he is probably the Jets’ best bet at adding a cornerback who can factor heavily into their rotation this upcoming season.
The former first-round pick deflected four passes and made 33 tackles in limited action last year. If anything, that indicates that he still has some good football left in him. He might not be a starter anymore, but New York doesn’t need him to take on that kind of role. It just needs an insurance policy that it can count on.
Brandon Carr
Brandon Carr’s career is winding down, but he can still bring value to the Jets.
The 34-year-old Carr has been a model of consistency throughout his NFL career. He has started 192 consecutive games and has not missed a single contest since entering the league in 2008. That is a major testament to not only his durability, but also his ability to consistently produce at a high level.
It wouldn’t be the worst idea to take a training camp flier on Carr. If things work out, he would serve as a key depth piece and invaluable mentor for New York’s younger defensive backs.
Josh Norman
Is Josh Norman a good fit in Gregg Williams’ man-heavy defense? Probably not. Is he on the wrong side of 30? Yes. The answers to those two questions seem to be pretty damning when it comes to Norman’s case for being an impact addition for the Jets, but there is a bit more to the picture than meets the eye.
At this point in the offseason, the free agent market is not exactly loaded with talent. Teams seldom find ideal fits in August, nor do they land players who are going to come in and perform at elite levels. This is where track record comes into play. It was not too long ago that Norman, albeit playing in zone defenses, was at the top of his game. That could be enough to earn him a late offseason flier.
Beggars can’t afford to be choosers with the beginning of the regular season one month away. Norman wouldn’t be the best free agent signing, but he certainly wouldn’t be the worst, either.
Cyrus Jones
Cyrus Jones has not quite lived up to the lofty expectations that followed him into the NFL as a second-round pick out of Alabama in the 2016 draft. Injuries derailed his stint with the Patriots, while inconsistency has marred his career elsewhere.
Jones is not a completely lost cause, though. He is still only 26 and has time to snap out of his career slump. He also possesses electric ability as a return man, which could make him of use to the Jets.
