D'Angelo Ponds may be limited but could make an impact for Jets in his debut

The New York Jets have been without cornerback D'Angelo Ponds for all of training camp and the first two weeks of the season. It wasn't an ideal start for him and the club, but it appears that he will make his debut against the Lions.

Ponds is no longer listed on the injury report, and with two full weeks of practice under his belt, the rookie seems poised to be on the field.

It'll be interesting to see how much he plays in this one, yet there's still a pathway for him to make an impact for New York.

D'Angelo Ponds could surprise New York Jets fans despite limited playing time

Brandon Stephens and Azareye'h Thomas have played fairly well on the outside to begin the year. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. is in the slot and has also been solid for New York, yet this still looks like the spot where Ponds could get some action.

A big reason for that is Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He's one of the best receivers in the league and will play a bunch in the slot. Having multiple defenders you can throw at him could be beneficial.

Ponds is a twitchy and quick defender, whose speed should help him. Your first matchup being against an All-Pro guy isn't an easy task in the slightest. St. Brown is coming into this game first in the NFL in catches (19) and receiving touchdowns (four), while being fifth in receiving yards (209).

The Lions will make a concerted effort to get St. Brown involved often, so having Ponds as another option for Aaron Glenn to have at his disposal could come in handy. It comes down to finding ways to slow down a player of St. Brown's caliber while also giving the offense different looks.

Whether Ponds is used as a blizter off the edge with his blazing speed, put in man coverage, or asked to defend the flat, the Lions won't have an idea of how he'll be deployed. Not only can Ponds be effective as a coverage defender, but he's physical against the run, and that's also super helpful going up against Jahmyr Gibbs.

Of course, expectations need to be tempered for this game. Ponds is a rookie who will be making his debut in a difficult road environment. Nonetheless, the Jets used the 50th overall pick on him for a reason.

How much he plays remains to be seen, but given the limited snaps he could get, there's reason to believe he could still impact the team in a positive way. And with all the injuries that New York is dealing with, it'll be a welcome sign to see Ponds in action.

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