Joe Douglas and the Jets have struck a trade for a cornerback.
As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and confirmed by the team, the Jets have traded for Colts cornerback Nate Hairston in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick, pending a physical. Hairston still has two years left on his contract.
The Jets had an extra sixth-round pick that they acquired from the Chiefs in the Darron Lee deal, so they’ll still have another one in the 2020 draft.
Hairston, a 25-year-old out of Temple, was a fifth-round pick by the Colts in 2017. In two seasons, he has started in 11 games and played in 27 total games. In 2017, Hairston had 35 combined tackles, two sacks, one safety, five pass defenses and one interception. Last season, Hairston had 30 combined tackles and one pass defense.
New York desperately needed some help at the cornerback position and Indianapolis had a surplus of them, so this deal was a no-brainer for both sides. It’s unknown where Hairston will fit in on the depth chart, but he should be looking at plenty of playing time in New York, regardless of his role.
Douglas has said cornerback was a position of need and that the Jets were looking to upgrade. With time winding down on the preseason, the general manager was able to do just that.
