Jarvis Brownlee Jr. reveals disciplinary reason for benching in Week 7

When the inactives list was released on the Sunday morning of the New York Jets' Week 7 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, one name may have caught fans by surprise. Starting nickel cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was a scratch, despite participating in practice all week long.

After the 28-25 loss, head coach Aaron Glenn declined to give an exact reason why the Jets made Brownlee inactive. However, based on a new report from ESPN's Rich Cimini, we now know the third-year defensive back was benched for disciplinary reasons.

"Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was benched last Sunday and fined by the team because he missed multiple mandatory meetings, he told ESPN on Thursday. Brownlee said he couldn't recall the amount of the fine, except to say he was notified in a letter from the team. He said he missed 'more than one' meeting, adding that he understood the discipline."

Coming out of an outing in Week 6, when Brownlee blew multiple coverage assignments against the New England Patriots, you would think he would make every effort to better himself and his game in preparation for the Jets' next game. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Jarvis Brownlee's loss is New York Jets rookie D'Angelo Ponds' gain

With Brownlee wearing street clothes for the Dolphins game, Jets rookie defensive back D'Angelo Ponds saw an increased share of snaps in the slot. While it's always good to see a young player get more playing time, there's a reason why Brownlee is the starter.

Ponds is a player the Jets are hoping will be a mainstay in their secondary. But right now, it's clear he's not ready. He's only played 63 defensive snaps in five games and has allowed a passer rating of 104.2 when targeted in coverage, albeit on only three receptions.

Not all of that is his fault. A calf injury robbed Ponds of virtually the entire offseason, missing all of training camp and the preseason as he worked his way back. Those reps are valuable for any player, let alone someone making their transition from college to the pros.

But that's just all the more reason why the Jets needed Brownlee, and he let them down. The former Tennessee Titans draft pick isn't the perfect player, but he's certainly their best option at nickel right now.

Brownlee appears headed back into the lineup ahead of Week 8 when the Jets take on the Las Vegas Raiders. With Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer on the horizon, New York is going to need their usual nickelback.

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