Adding depth in the secondary, the Jets signed former Los Angeles Rams safety Marqui Christian to a one-year deal worth $2 million on Saturday.
A special teams ace, Christian is a sneaky good pickup for Gang Green who adds value on defense, too. Christian joins Matthias Farley as backups to Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye. He could very well be Gregg Williams’ third safety, as he was primarily playing on passing downs in Wade Phillips’ defense in Los Angeles.
The Jets tended to play with three safeties on the field at the same time last season, allowing Adams to play more like a rover and pass-rusher.
With a lot of playing time coming on both defense and special teams, Christian is a nice find for Joe Douglas. With that said, let’s get to know the Jets’ newest safety.
What he brings to the table
Through four seasons in Los Angeles, Marqui Christian started just one game, recorded three pass deflections and made 83 tackles. The former Rams safety is a big-time special teamer and can make an immediate impact on Brant Boyer’s unit.
Christian saw his role grow increasingly in Los Angeles. In a span of four seasons, he went from being strictly a special teamer in 2016 to playing 34 percent of the Rams’ defensive snaps over each of the past two seasons.
In 2019, Christian played 358 defensive snaps, mainly as a free safety. In addition, he played 355 snaps on special teams last season, the second-highest total on the Rams.
Not long for the desert
A fifth-round pick out of Midwestern State in the 2016 NFL Draft, Marqui Christian was waived by the Arizona Cardinals before ever taking a single snap for the team.
The Rams lucked out, claiming Christian off waivers a day later. Since then, Christian has helped the Rams to a 6-1 record against their divisional foes, who gave up on Christian rather quickly.
Small-school standout
As a standout at Midwestern State University, Marqui Christian won the Cliff Harris Award as the nation’s top small-college defensive player in 2015.
Christian was the first player in program history to earn Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and was the league’s defensive back of the year in 2015.
He finished his career as the program’s all-time leading tackler with 295.
Jets connections
Marqui Christian isn’t an unknown to the Jets’ coaching staff.
During his rookie season in 2016, Christian played under then Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson.
Both coaches hold the same positions in New York now, with Wilson adding passing-game coordinator to his title. Christian’s familiarity with the two should help with a secondary shakeup already underway this offseason.
