Aaron Glenn's stubbornness with D'Angelo Ponds is baffling

The New York Jets are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, with the latest being a 38-33 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The defense couldn't slow the Raiders down at all, with Kirk Cousins throwing for 247 passing yards and three touchdowns.

What made the loss more infuriating is that the Jets played rookie cornerback D'Angelo Ponds for just one snap. Head coach Aaron Glenn gave Jarvis Brownlee 27 defensive snaps, allowing him to play in the slot for the bulk of the game.

And the results weren't pretty. Brownlee gave up three catches (four targets) for 49 receiving yards and a touchdown. He also committed two penalties and was a defender who was consistently picked on. This goes on par with how his 2026 season has unfolded, which makes it baffling how the Jets are handling Ponds.

Going forward, New York needs to move Ponds ahead of Brownlee on the depth chart.

Aaron Glenn's decision on D'Angelo Ponds raises serious questions

Just in Week 7, Brownlee was inactive and fined by the team for missing multiple mandatory meetings. That led to Ponds playing a career-high 30 snaps against the Dolphins, but the following week, Brownlee was handed the starting role back immediately.

That's an interesting choice in the first place, but the fact that they aren't just rolling with the rookie at this point doesn't make sense. At the beginning of the year, while Ponds was inactive due to a calf injury, it was fine.

It was also plausible when Ponds was active in Week 3, but Glenn didn't want to put too much on his plate. Yet, as things have gone on, they need to let Ponds go through the lumps. There will be some highs and lows, but it's better to see what he has compared to Brownlee.

Aaron Glenn's handling of D'Angelo Ponds makes little sense

It has been the same story for Brownlee in 2026. He has struggled in coverage, but the past three weeks have been his worst stretch. Brownlee has allowed 12 catches (16 targets) for 136 yards and a touchdown. Teams have looked in his direction and found success when doing so.

New York selected Ponds with the 50th overall pick for a reason, and it's time to see what the rookie can do. Making the transition from college to the NFL at corner is extremely tough. Add that Ponds is learning a new position in the slot, and it makes things that much harder.

Regardless, he could give the Jets more than what they are getting from Brownlee. With how the season is going, it's important to see what these young players can do. Fellow rookies like David Bailey, Omar Cooper Jr., Darnell Jackson Jr., and Kenyon Sadiq have all had moments in 2026.

The same could be said about Ponds, but he needs to be given the opportunity. The defense has looked horrible in recent weeks. They need to make changes, and putting Ponds into the lineup over Brownlee is a step in the right direction.

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