Jarvis Brownlee trade quietly gives Jets an unexpected advantage

The New York Jets, by all accounts, came away with a steal when they stole away cornerback Jarvis Brownlee from the Tennessee Titans for the low cost of swapping a sixth-round pick for a seventh-rounder. The trade earned sparkling grades from the pundits, but even more telling was the outrage amongst Titans fans.

Not only did the Jets acquire an upgrade in coverage over incumbent starters, Brandon Stephens and nickelback Michael Carter II, but they got a superb run defender who relishes exacting violence against opposing ball carriers.

That will be a huge boost to the unit as soon as Brownlee is ready to take the field, and when he does, he'll find an unexpected partner with whom he'll combine to form one of the best run support duos among NFL corners.

Jarvis Brownlee and Sauce Gardner will give the Jets one of the best run support corner duos in the league

It's no surprise to anyone that Sauce Gardner is one of the best cover corners in the game. Even if he hasn't been quite as elite as in years past, the two-time All-Pro has allowed just six receptions on 14 targets in his direction through Week 3. He's well on his way to another outstanding season in pass coverage.

However, if there's an area where Gardner has been deficient, it's been in his run defense. The lanky corner was solid in run defense during his rookie season, posting a 69.2 Pro Football Focus run defense grade that ranked 21st among 59 corners to play at least 261 run defense snaps.

However, in 2023 and 2024, his performance against the run fell off, grading out at 57.0 (59th out of 72 corners) and 53.6 (51st out of 57 corners), respectively. Tackling was of particular concern for Gardner last season, with him whiffing on 23.1% of his tackle attempts in the run game, which was the third-highest missed tackle rate among corners in the NFL.

Through three weeks this season, Gardner ranks ninth with a 76.8 run defense grade, suggesting that not only are his struggles behind him, but that he's made legitimate improvements in this facet of his game.

Brownlee was stellar against the run in his rookie season, posting a PFF run defense grade of 77.7, ranking eighth best in the league, while missing just 10% of his tackles in the run game, which was good for the seventh lowest rate at the position. His 11 run stops, players that constitute a failure for the offense, were the ninth most, while his 2.8% stop rate also ranked ninth best.

Brownlee wasn't just a sure-handed tackler who took good angles; he legitimately blew up plays. He's done more of the same this year in his two games played, posting an 83.5 mark, which ranks fifth. His splash plays against the run have been off the charts, coming in tied for the league lead with five stops.

That comes in one less game than most of his peers, and his eye-popping 10.2% stop rate is the best in the league to date.

Of course, corner isn't one of the positions commonly associated with stout run defense, like nose tackle or linebacker might be, but in recent years its importance has only risen.

The rise of outside zone running schemes, something the Jets employed under both Mike LaFleur and the duo of Nathaniel Hackett and Todd Downing. Tanner Engstand also uses some of those principles.

Around the league, it has risen in popularity thanks to the influence of the Shanahan coaching tree. The Jets' Week 4 opponent, the Miami Dolphins, uses it quite often to get their electric back, Devon Achane, out in space and against corners who typically aren't adept at making plays in the run game.

The rise of athletic offensive linemen and speedy running backs has led to offenses looking to exploit the edges in the run game, and the Jets' new duo's prowess at stopping the run might prove to be something of a secret weapon as the season progresses.

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