D’Angelo Ponds making his Jets debut couldn't come at a better time

Delayed train rides are immensely frustrating, but in the case of New York Jets rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, the reward might be worth the wait.

Look, given how often we cited the “D’Angelo Ponds Hype Train” all offseason, we had no choice but to make one final reference to locomotives. Jets coach Aaron Glenn confirmed Friday that Ponds, who has battled a lingering calf injury since July, will make his NFL debut against the Packers this weekend.

Amid questions about Ponds being fully healthy, Glenn pointed to the second-round pick fully participating in both practice and position meetings.

“That’s what we want to make sure: any guy that's out, can you come back and compete at a high level?” Glenn told reporters. “Because once you get on the field, there’s no excuses. And [Ponds] has been doing a good job of that.”

Glenn ruled out four players, most notably defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin) and rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle), on Friday morning. Edge rusher Will McDonald IV will play despite battling an ankle injury.

How much will New York Jets rookie D’Angelo Ponds play in his NFL debut?

We’re not in the business of projecting final snap counts, so don’t take this as an extremely literal question. We imagine that the only way Ponds wouldn’t be active on Sunday is if he suffers a setback either before the game or while warming up.

Glenn has long been a fan of Ponds, partly because of their shared identity as undersized defensive backs. The Jets list Ponds at 5-foot-8 and 182 pounds, whereas the 5-foot-9 Glenn typically weighed roughly 185 pounds during his 15-year career. (Considering that I’m a generous 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, they’ve got me beat!)

Had he not gotten hurt during training camp, Ponds was expected to compete for one of the starting nickel cornerback spots. The Jets also gave him reps on the outside during offseason workouts.

On the one hand, Ponds had built such a strong rapport with Glenn entering training camp that he should rotate in with the first-team defense. However, Jarvis Brownlee impressed against Cam Ward and the Titans’ offense last week, so he’s likely not headed to the bench solely because Ponds has returned from injury.

Objectively, the Jets’ best plan is to view Ponds as the first man off the bench. He’ll still have opportunities to contribute, and his aggressive play style will remind the MetLife Stadium crowd why he generated so much excitement throughout the summer. 

Besides, what better way to officially begin your career than by facing Jordan Love and a Packers offense coming off a brutal fourth-quarter collapse to the NFC North rival Vikings?

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