Jets' Dane Belton signing is already paying dividends through 3 weeks

Some front office transactions get a lot of publicity, and some don't. Darren Mougey and the New York Jets, looking to upgrade their defensive backfield depth, made an addition in early March that received very little publicity. But sometimes those moves yield the biggest returns.

The move garnered reaction in some areas, though. In niche NFL corners, any move of that stature receives some analysis. But it also caused minor shockwaves in the New York football market, as it saw fifth-year breakout safety Dane Belton trade his blue for green, transitioning from the Giants' MetLife locker room to the Jets'.

Gang Green inked the Iowa product to a one-year deal worth a maximum of $6 million. And through three games, that looks like an absolute steal.

Depth matters, and New York Jets safety Dane Belton is proving why

Belton wasn't supposed to be in a position to contribute as heavily as he has. Sure, he was slotted to start, with Andre Cisco and Malachi Moore playing behind them. But after winning his initial starting job this offseason in camp, his job description grew twofold in week one when another former Jets rival, Minkah Fitzpatrick, went down with a groin injury.

In response, Belton has largely picked up the slack for former All-Pro Fitzpatrick, earning a gold star from head coach Aaron Glenn in the process. Through three games, Belton has 15 tackles with an excellent 5% miss rate. He's been a huge plus in the run game, with 4 stops to his name and Pro Football Focus run defense grades of 63.3, 75, and 78.6.

On Sunday, in a disappointing yet promising defeat in Detroit, Belton put up six tackles with three assisted tackles and was only targeted twice, allowing just one catch for eight yards. He's constantly involved in the action, constantly filling holes when they're there for him, and he's playing above his pay grade, something the Jets have needed to stay afloat down a man in the secondary.

He's also been an absolute iron man, currently tied with Azareye'h Thomas and Demario Davis for most snaps on the defense with 174. He holds the defense's second-highest tackle grade at 81.5, and fifth-highest defensive grade at 66.4. You take all PFF grades with a hefty grain of salt these days, but the metrics and eye test back up what they're selling.

He's also making his mark on team culture, to boot. He spoke after the game to reporters, making a point of acknowledging the "fight" this team has had since the beginning of training camp.

It's one thing to live up to your salary. It's another to outplay that salary by taking on increased responsibility. And it's just icing on the cake when you're getting in the mix of locker-room leadership and team dynamics, something easier said than done for first-year additions.

Granted, it's early. This isn't a celebration yet. And it isn't as though Dane Belton has turned into Troy Polamalu overnight. But the value he's provided has not only exceeded his price tag, but he's also largely responsible for keeping a high-end defense afloat as it nurses an injury to one of its two best players.

So there's a lot to like. There's a lot of room for growth, still. And Belton's role is certain to be rolled back when Fitzpatrick is back in the lineup. But for today, Jets fans can thank him for playing a big part in what has been a solid overall start to the season for New York.

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