After D.J. Reed made it clear that he was going to leave the big apple after the 2024 season, the New York Jets new they were going to need to find another cornerback to play opposite Sauce Gardner in Steve Wilks’ defense. And now they have their man.

The New York Jets are expected to sign former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens to a three-year $36 million contract. The deal is expected to have $23 million in guaranteed money.

The Jets lost Reed earlier in the day when he signed a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions worth $47 million.

The 27-year-old Stephens started all 17 games for the Baltimore Ravens last season, making 70 combined tackles (59 solo) with 10 passes defended and 1.5 sacks. He made two interceptions and 74 combined tackles (57 solo) over 16 starts during the 2023 season.

Those are the good numbers on Stephens. Despite starting all 17 games for the Ravens, he allowed 65 receptions on 107 targets and recorded no interceptions. He has been targeted the most of any CB over the last two seasons and has the 4th most catches allowed. He allowed 31 first downs last season and 706 yards.

New Jets defensive coordinator will be a lot more aggressive than the previous regime. He will blitz a lot more leaving his corners one on one often. Playing opposite Sauce Garnder and Michael Carter in the slot, Stephens is going to see a lot of balls thrown in his direction.

This is another head scratching move for me. Almost as bad as the Justin Fields signing. There are other corners out there and the draft still to come. They paid a project player like Stephens number two cornerback money. He simply isn’t that good.

Now the Jets can boast on how they have a former defensive back as a head coach and will work with Stephens to unlock his full potential, but that isn’t what they signed Glenn to do. Frankly, I don’t trust the Jets to improve players they sign based on their history of never being able to do so.

This feels like another panic move by a regime who doesn’t want to be left with the players on their roster. Stephens is a project at cornerback and the Jets are going to rely on him.

To sum up what the Jets have done with this signing, I had a member of the Baltimore Ravens media text me two words after the announcement. The text simply read “thank you”. That’s who the Jets just gave $36 million dollars and a prominent spot on their defense to. 

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