New York Jets: Marcus Gilchrist seals the deal on defense

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Mar 13, 2015

As reported by ESPN New York’s Rich Cimini, the New York Jets have agreed to terms with safety Marcus Gilchrist. While no financial information is out yet, it’s been confirmed that it is indeed a four-year deal that aligns well with the other free agent pickups the Jets have made so far. With Darrelle Revis, Buster Skrine, Antonio Cromartie and now Gilchrist on the Jets, the extreme makeover on their defensive secondary will be quite the formidable unit come next season.

Gilchrist is immediately an upgrade over the incumbent Calvin Pryor who never lived up to his expectations as a hard-hitting safety last season as a top first-round draft pick. He played so poorly that he was benched last season which is ironic for someone named “Bonecrusher” in his college days with Louisville.

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Whether Pryor needs more time in development or not, bringing Gilchrist aboard will help push him towards improving. I’ve always believed that if you have a slumping rookie not living up to their potential, putting him under the wings of a proven veteran almost always bodes great results.

Last season with the San Diego Chargers, Gilchrist contributed 76 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception. As a tackling machine, Gilchrist will immediately bring a strong veteran presence into the Jets’ defensive secondary that they haven’t had in quite some time.

The fact that Gilchrist was originally drafted back in the 2011 NFL Draft as a cornerback shows the kind of athleticism he has. While he’ll primarily be a safety on the Jets this upcoming season, his coverage skills and ability to make big defensive stops will be something the Jets can use in many different defensive packages.

Head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan continue to redeem the Jets though smart player personnel decisions while bringing some new life back to the organization. It’s crazy how a year ago around this time, the previous regime had all the money needed to make big moves but sat on it and did nothing worthy of attention when it came to defense.

It’s amazing and refreshing to have Bowles and Maccagnan restore the faith to fans everywhere that a new era of Jets football will be upon the football world starting next season. I’m not saying the Jets will be Super Bowl bound or anything, but they at least will be much more competitive in 2015 battling it out in the AFC East.

December 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers strong safety Marcus Gilchrist (38) during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi

The Jets needed to add defensive playmakers that are capable of creating turnovers. All their new free agent acquisitions all have a successful past of being true shut-down defenders capable of making key turnovers that can change the outcome of a football game in a heartbeat.

Last season, the Jets’ defense only caused six turnovers via interception as they simply looked lost and confused on defense. With this amazing infusion of talent that will be unleashed come next season, the addition of Gilchrist seals the deal on defense.

Overall, this is a moment of excitement and redemption by the Jets to steer the ship into better waters. Who knows what else they have in store as they continue to add more talent to the team via free agency while also preparing for a successful draft. The Jets are seemingly on the path of bouncing back nicely come next season.

Next: New York Jets get it right with Antonio Cromartie

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