When the Jets let D.J. Reed walk in free agency, it wasn’t just a loss—it was the start of a quiet rebuild.
Reed wasn’t a superstar, but he was consistent, physical, and capable of holding down the right side in man coverage.
To replace him, the Jets didn’t make one bold move—they made two that speak louder when examined together.
Brandon Stephens brings experience—but comes with obvious flaws
New York signed Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million deal, including $23 million guaranteed to solidify the cornerback room.
That’s a significant investment for a player who gave up 926 receiving yards and five touchdowns in coverage during the 2023 season.
He picked up seven penalties and missed 13.4% of his tackles, both career-highs that raise concern about his consistency under pressure.
Stephens isn’t expected to dominate—he’s being paid to survive opposite Sauce Gardner and play a complementary coverage role at CB2.
In other words, the Jets aren’t asking him to shut anyone down—they’re asking him not to get burned too often.
That’s a manageable ask, but the margin for error in today’s NFL is slim, especially in a pass-happy AFC East.
The third-round pick that tells the real story
While the Stephens deal grabbed headlines, the Jets quietly made a much more telling decision during the 2025 NFL Draft.
They selected Azareye’h Thomas in the third round, a 6’2″, 198-pound corner out of Florida State with massive upside.
Thomas only gave up 141 yards in coverage last year with five pass breakups and one interception across meaningful snaps.
He isn’t blazing fast, but his press-man coverage skills, footwork, and instincts stood out as elite traits during the evaluation process.
He lined up against some of the ACC’s top receivers and consistently held his own, using length and technique to disrupt timing.
His tape reflects a polished player who simply needs speed refinement, but mentally, he’s far more advanced than many prospects his age.
The Jets are building layers—not leaning on faith
By signing Stephens and drafting Thomas, the Jets clearly signaled they don’t view the cornerback position as a finished product.
Stephens is the immediate fix, but he isn’t guaranteed to hold the job beyond this season, or even into December.
If Thomas develops quickly, the Jets may hand him meaningful reps early, especially if coverage busts or penalties plague Stephens again.
This layered approach gives them flexibility while avoiding the trap of overcommitting to an aging or underperforming veteran midseason.
And if Thomas turns out to be a gem, they’ve solved a long-term need on a rookie contract—which is organizational gold.
Sauce Gardner still needs help to thrive
Even the league’s best cornerback needs support. Sauce Gardner can shut down one half of the field—but only for so long.
Without a strong CB2, quarterbacks will simply scheme away from Sauce and isolate weaker matchups downfield or across the middle.
That’s exactly why the Jets valued Reed so highly—and why his departure leaves a noticeable hole that still isn’t fully filled.
If Stephens doesn’t improve or Thomas isn’t ready, the defense could become lopsided, exposing flaws when facing layered passing attacks.
One job for now, another for later
Brandon Stephens was brought in to bridge the gap. Azareye’h Thomas was drafted to build the future—and it may arrive fast.
The pressure is squarely on Stephens to stabilize the secondary, but the whispers of Thomas growing behind him won’t go unnoticed.
Every training camp rep, every preseason snap, and every blown assignment will feed the narrative of when—not if—Thomas will take over.
If both players pan out, the Jets suddenly have enviable depth. If not, this patchwork fix could become a bigger problem by midseason.
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