Jets' Jarvis Brownlee Jr. could be facing uphill battle for starting job

New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey has established a reputation for himself as a savvy trader, and one of his midseason acquisitions last season certainly brought some energy to a team that desperately needed it.

In late September, Mougey struck a deal with the Tennessee Titans for nickel cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr., sending the Titans a 2026 sixth-round pick in exchange for Brownlee and a 2026 seventh-round pick.

Brownlee wasn't exactly a world-beater in seven games with the Jets, but as previously mentioned, he was an injection of energy that the Jets didn't really have, even if it led to some bone-headed penalties from time to time.

Heading into 2026, Brownlee has a shot at a starting role with the Jets, but he may have an uphill climb with an exciting young rookie ahead of him.

D'Angelo Ponds may surpass Jarvis Brownlee Jr. as the Jets' starting nickel cornerback

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt predicted who may start among the Jets' relatively crowded secondary. At nickel cornerback, he believes 2026 second-round pick D'Angelo Ponds has the early edge over Brownlee.

"A couple things to keep in mind: Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will play significant snaps in the nickel, and there will be a legitimate training camp competition... at nickel. But Ponds [was the standout] to me in the spring."

Zack Rosenblatt

To Rosenblatt's point, Brownlee didn't do much to show he deserved a starting job with the Jets in 2025.

According to Pro Football Focus, Brownlee graded out as the 103rd-best cornerback in football last year out of 114 qualified players. He allowed a 108.9 passer rating when targeting in coverage, and only managed to break up one pass.

His best attribute is his tackling and run defense. PFF gave Brownlee a run-defense grade of 78.2, 13th best among qualified cornerbacks.

But what the Jets are looking for from their cornerbacks is playmaking, and Ponds may have more upside in that department.

Throughout three years at James Madison and Indiana, Ponds hauled in seven interceptions and forced two fumbles, something the Jets desperately need from their defensive backs.

Rosenblatt, who has been at open portions of Jets offseason activities, believes Ponds offers that more so than Brownlee, and if the former Titans draft pick wants a bigger role in 2026, he'll have to turn it up once training camp rolls around.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow