It only took 2 games for this Jets starter to be fighting for his job

After an exciting, albeit shaky, performance in the New York Jets' season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, fans were hopeful for a positive year. Those hopes were gone by the end of Week 2.

The Jets' brutal loss to the Buffalo Bills served as a reminder of the talent discrepancy between this team and the true contenders of the conference. There weren't many positive individual performances for New York, but one player's rough week has him on the brink of losing his starting spot.

Cornerback Brandon Stephens needed a good game after his shaky day against Pittsburgh. He didn't deliver, and now fans are calling for his job.

Brandon Stephens should be benched after poor start to Jets career

The warning signs were there before the Jets even signed Stephens. He had a frustrating season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024, consistently getting beaten by opposing receivers.

The cornerback was often in the right spot, but his inability to play the ball led to him allowing almost 1,000 receiving yards on the year. The Ravens were happy to let him walk in free agency as his rookie deal expired.

After losing D.J. Reed, the Jets took a chance on the former Baltimore cornerback in an attempt to fill a position of need. Two games into the season, it's already looking like a mistake.

The cornerback was awful in Week 1, allowing five catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns. He looked lost in coverage, getting completely outmatched by a mediocre Steelers receiver group.

While Stephens wasn't quite as shaky in Week 2, he didn't do enough to keep his starting job safe. He failed to make any impact plays in coverage, once again allowing catches on the majority of passes thrown his way.

But his most egregious mishap came in run defense. On a James Cook run in the second quarter, the cornerback took a terrible pursuit angle that ended up proving costly.

Cook broke free from a Quincy Williams tackle, bouncing the run back to the outside. Stephens was immediately beaten, giving up a 44-yard touchdown run that put the Bills up by 20 points.

The play didn't end up being crucial to the result of the game, but the former Ravens DB's pursuit and effort were questionable enough to have fans calling for him to be benched.

Heading into Week 3, his starting spot is already at risk.

More NY Jets news and analysis: