The New York Jets may end up having a need in the cornerback room this upcoming offseason.
New York has DJ Reed heading to free agency after spending the last three seasons with the Jets. Reed was a solid starter for the Jets but it’s unknown if he will be back. Free agency won’t kick off until March so we won’t know for a while.
With the majority of teams on the outside looking in on the playoffs right now, speculation already has started to pick up about who could sign different places when free agency does get here. New York already has been linked to a couple of different players and the addition of head coach Aaron Glenn could make things even more interesting.
Pro Football Focus’ Mason Cameron made a list of the top 15 defensive players heading to free agency and also floated a top possible landing spot for each of the players. One intriguing player who cracked his list with a tie to Glenn is Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis. He spent the 2024 season in Detroit and will be a free agent again with his one-year, $14.5 million deal set to expire.
Cameron suggested the Jets as the top landing spot for the 28-year-old.
“Best Landing spot: New York Jets,” Cameron said. “Overall Free-Agent Rank: 21. Before a broken jaw in Week 15 cut his season short, Davis was a standout in the Lions secondary. Through 15 weeks, his 11 forced incompletions ranked ninth in the NFL, highlighting his ability to disrupt opposing passing attacks.
“Reuniting with former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, now the Jets’ head coach, could be the perfect move for Davis. Glenn’s aggressive schemes, which often rely on press coverage, play to Davis’ strengths. He allowed only seven open targets in press situations despite playing a significant number of press snaps, showcasing his ability to thrive in a physical, one-on-one role.”
If the Jets were to lose Reed, Davis would be a great player to target in the aftermath. He’s a seven-year National Football League veteran and clearly has a connection to Glenn. A secondary featuring him and Sauce Gardner would be pretty scary to opposing quarterbacks.
