New York Jets: Top priority in free agency is cornerback

When it comes to trying to fix the New York Jets for next season and beyond, it doesn’t take much time to figure out their major weakness is at cornerback. The Jets last season were completely torched by opposing teams that featured prolific quarterbacks and potent passing attacks. They gave up about 234 passing yards per game and had no answers at cornerback all season long. Now with about $42.1 million to spend in free agency, they must throw a good chunk of that money towards the top cornerbacks hitting the market.

New general manager Mike Maccagnan will have all eyes watching him once free agency starts on March 10. He has the enormous task of trying to fix this area of need on the Jets by making smart moves to add upgrades to the Jets’ defensive secondary. It’s expected the Jets will stick with more man-to-man coverage schemes like in the past and will need the right cornerbacks to make it lethal.

More from New York Jets

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Jets grabbed some of the top cornerbacks that are expected to hit free agency while also grabbing another few via the 2015 NFL Draft.

One thing about any defense to be truly successful is to always have plenty of options at cornerback. Not only for depth purposes but also just in case of injuries since the best defenses have contingency plans just in case. At the current moment, the Jets don’t have any guaranteed success coming from their draft picks they have invested in from the past.

Both cornerbacks in Dexter McDougle and Dee Milliner were both on the injured reserve list last season and missed significant amounts of playing time. McDougle never got to see any regular season action since he was hurt before it even started and Milliner had a chance to build upon his decent 2013 season but didn’t get the opportunity due to injury. The Jets must make sure to add some veteran cornerbacks to ensure they have a safety net in case they get hurt again or don’t deliver results.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Antonio Cromartie return to the Jets since he loves New York and worked extensively with new head coach Todd Bowles when both were with the Arizona Cardinals last season. The Jets made a big mistake last offseason letting him walk since his performance declined without the Jets’ brass really understanding that he played most of 2013 hurt with a nagging hip injury. He had a huge season with the Cardinals last year and gave them a much-needed veteran presence that was severely missing from the Jets.

If acquired, Cromartie would be more of a short-term option than what the Jets need for future sustainability at the position. If the Jets want to really make a splashy move in addition to bringing Cromartie back, they should also get Byron Maxwell who will be one of the most sought after cornerbacks in free agency. His upside is huge considering last season he had 39 tackles and two interceptions with plenty of good playing years ahead of him. He could be the next defensive star the Jets need to bring that toughness back into their secondary.

As much as a reunion with Darrelle Revis would do wonders for the Jets, it’s highly unlikely he’ll want to leave the Super Bowl defending champion New England Patriots for a team that is clearly in a rebuilding phase. Revis is all about getting paid handsomely for his services and he’s coming off an incredible season last year that saw him win the first championship of his career. Trust me when I say, it’s doubtful he’ll be returning to the Jets anytime soon, especially with his past dealings with the team and his contract negotiations.

It’s hard to predict what the Jets plan to do with their 6th overall draft pick come April. What they do in free agency will clearly determine what needs they will need to finish filling when they are on the clock. They could trade down in the draft to get some much-needed pieces but it would also make sense to draft another top cornerback. They can easily get a solid one in this scenario or even trade down with another team to get more draft picks or players they need.

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) returns a fourth quarter interception for a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

There is no way the Jets can realistically expect success from the current cornerbacks on their roster at the moment since it’s in need of a major infusion of talent, veterans and shut-down corners.

The Jets know if they get the right players for their secondary, it will help put them in a much better position to win more football games. It’s an immediate need since they dropped the ball big time last year and can’t let history repeat itself. If you want to win, you have to be willing to spend money for talent.

Overall, the Jets are in a great position to finally add some top talent into their cornerback situation by getting it done right for once in free agency. Former general manager John Idzik had no sense of urgency around this position, and it clearly showed in their 4-12 record last season.

Maccagnan a much more sensible and intelligent football mind who knows what this team needs to succeed. It’ll be nice to see the Jets spend money to finally address the issue that hit them hard last season and bring in defenders that will make opponents think twice before passing in their vicinity.

Next: New York Jets should pass on Marcus Mariota

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/New York Jets