FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Almost one year ago, the New York Jets made Sauce Gardner the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL -- four years, $120.4 million. It was a loud statement -- the Jets reinvesting in a then-23-year-old who figured to be the centerpiece of their secondary for the next decade.
Four months later, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts.
Though the move brought back a 2026 first-round pick (tight end Kenyon Sadiq), a 2027 first-rounder and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, it created major questions on the back end of the Jets' defense.
New York has used free agency, the draft and trades to piece together a starting secondary, headlined by the addition of former All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, but this still feels like a work in progress.
The rebuilt unit will try to prove doubters wrong while trying to eliminate "the elephant in the room," as cornerback Brandon Stephens called the team's interception drought.
Last season, the Jets became the first team in modern NFL history to go a full season without a defensive interception.
"It's hard to believe it could happen, but it happened," Stephens said. "I think all the guys are taking that personally because it's part of our name. How do we want to rewrite the story after that?"
It's worth noting that Gardner wasn't a ballhawk, either (only three picks in 55 games with the Jets), but it was hard to replace his coverage skills. Stephens, a 2025 free agent from the Baltimore Ravens, delivered a solid season, but he's not considered a true CB1. He finished 37th out of 75 corners in yards allowed per coverage snap (1.1) as the nearest defender (minimum: 250 coverage snaps), per Next Gen Stats. The league average was 1.1.
In the Jets' ever-changing secondary, he stands as the pillar of stability.
The favorite to start opposite Stephens is newcomer Nahshon Wright, who broke out last season with five interceptions for the Chicago Bears after producing one in his first four seasons.
Despite tying for the NFL lead among corners, Wright didn't generate a lot of interest in free agency (one year, $3.5 million); it's the league's way of saying it remains skeptical. Indeed, three of his picks came against young, struggling quarterbacks (J.J. McCarthy twice, Spencer Rattler) and another occurred on an end-of-half Hail Mary (Joe Flacco). Wright's yards allowed per coverage snap (1.3) ranked 54th.
In other words, he made a lot of big plays but gave up a lot, too.
Explaining his interception success, Wright said, "[It's] having a knack for the ball, being confident enough to get my eyes back to the ball. And it's preparation, seeing what teams like to do, what kind of route concepts they run and being able to anticipate certain things."
There will be competition for his spot, as Azareye'h Thomas and 2026 second-round pick D'Angelo Ponds are expected to vie for the job. Only 5-foot-8 Ponds has impressed with his football savvy.
Ponds played inside and outside during OTAs and minicamp, and he could emerge as the nickel back. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. is the favorite in that slot, but the organization is extremely high on Ponds.
The biggest name in the secondary is Fitzpatrick, who was once regarded as one of the league's elite defensive backs. He has been named first-team All-Pro three times, having made a total of 16 interceptions in those three seasons (2019, 2020, 2022). But he has just two interceptions in the past three seasons.
Interceptions aren't always an accurate measure of a player's performance, but in this case, Fitzpatrick's other pass-coverage metrics have dropped as well.
Evidently, the Jets doubt the numbers. They still believe he can be an impact player, evidenced by the three-year, $40 million contract they gave him after acquiring him in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. Fitzpatrick, whose average-per-year ($13.3 million) is 13th among safeties, is entering his age-30 season.
The Jets hope to be creative, letting him line up in different spots.
"I like moving around," Fitzpatrick said. "I like being able to give the quarterback different looks. I think when you just sit in a high post all game, they know you're back there and they could dial stuff up for you, but they could also avoid you. So, I like being a chess piece."
The Jets, who haven't had a top-end safety since Jamal Adams in 2019, acquired Fitzpatrick for his leadership, but the main reason was his playmaking. He and Andre Cisco are the projected starters at safety, but they could use some three-safety (big nickel) looks with Malachi Moore or Dane Belton.
Fitzpatrick's job will be to change the narrative and elevate the Jets' post-Gardner secondary. Last season's interception oh-fer was embarrassing, especially for a prideful coach such as Aaron Glenn, a former cornerback.
"I mean, he's done that through the course of his career, so I don't expect that to change at all," Glenn said of Fitzpatrick's ball skills. "We want guys that can get their hands on the ball; we want guys that can make plays. And we also want guys that, when things break down, have the instincts to get us right back where we need to be, to give us another chance to have another play."
