Jets’ season-ending injury opens roster door for overlooked young CB

The battle for the final spots on the New York Jets’ 53-man roster was already fierce, but one unfortunate injury has opened the door for others to make a late push, including one very impressive young defensive back.

The Jets announced on Monday that they've placed veteran cornerback/special-teamer Kris Boyd on the injured reserve, officially ending his 2025 season. Boyd signed a one-year contract with the Jets in March and was expected to serve as one of the team's key special-teams players.

The expectation was that Boyd would not only make the 53-man roster but that he would fill a key role as a core special-teamer. Unfortunately, the seven-year NFL veteran suffered a shoulder injury in the team's Green & White Scrimmage earlier this month and is now sidelined for the entire season.

Boyd's injury is a significant blow to the new special teams coordinator Chris Banjo's unit, but it also presents a golden opportunity for a few players on the roster, most notably former sixth-round pick Jarrick Bernard-Converse.

Kris Boyd's injury opens the door for Jarrick Bernard-Converse to make the Jets' roster

A sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bernard-Converse missed the first half of his rookie season due to injury before returning to play just four defensive snaps in eight games.

The Jets transitioned Bernard-Converse from safety to cornerback the next year, and with a full, healthy offseason under his belt, he showed significant progress in the summer of 2024.

The former LSU standout was one of the stars of the preseason for the Jets that year, posting a 92.4 Pro Football Focus grade that led all 192 NFL cornerbacks (min. 40 snaps) that summer.

He also posted a league-best 92.3 PFF coverage grade, while allowing only three catches for 51 yards on nine targets, adding two pass breakups and a passer rating of just 53.5 when targeted.

It was enough to earn Bernard-Converse a spot on the 53-man roster, but his impressive performance didn't translate to regular-season opportunities. He'd play just six defensive snaps across seven games, riding the bench as a healthy scratch most weeks.

After missing the first preseason game of 2025 due to injury, Bernard-Converse wasted little time picking up where he left off the previous summer. The 25-year-old recorded a stellar 87.2 PFF grade in Saturday's 31-12 loss to the New York Giants.

That included an 85.2 coverage grade in a game where he was targeted twice, allowing just one catch for five yards. Bernard-Converse also flashed his physicality in the run game, leading the Jets with three run stops.

The Jets' cornerback room is once again crowded entering 2025, with the likes of Sauce Gardner, Brandon Stephens, Michael Carter II, rookie third-round pick Azareye'h Thomas, and Qwan'tez Stiggers all expected to be locks for the 53-man roster.

Thomas is nursing a shoulder injury and hasn't practiced in weeks, so it's possible he could begin the year on the short-term IR. Still, Bernard-Converse's path to a roster spot is murky despite his continued preseason dominance.

Boyd's injury potentially opens up a spot for him to make it as one of the Jets' final depth defensive backs. He'll also be competing with 2024 undrafted rookie Jarius Monroe, who similarly converted from safety to outside cornerback this offseason.

The Jets like Monroe's versatility and special-teams prowess, but Bernard-Converse has flashed as a standout cover corner and stout tackler every time he's been given an opportunity.

Jarrick Bernard-Converse is one of the best 53 players under contract with the Jets. Here's to hoping Boyd's unfortunate injury allows the team to keep one of their best-kept secrets on the roster for the 2025 season.

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