Jets UDFA rookie set for surprise audition with 2026 job on the line

The New York Jets officially placed starting nickel cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. on injured reserve with a hip injury on Saturday, and with that move, the team has officially opened the door for a young player on the roster to potentially carve out a future role.

The Jets also signed undrafted rookie Jordan Clark to the 53-man roster in a corresponding move, and while he only played 11 special teams snaps in last week’s win over Atlanta, he could be in line for an expanded role down the stretch.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters on Friday that Clark is absolutely in the mix to handle snaps at nickel cornerback against Miami this Sunday with Brownlee sidelined.

Ja’Sir Taylor struggled in relief last week, Isaiah Oliver is a veteran stopgap who likely won’t be part of next year’s plans, and Brownlee won’t be eligible to return until Week 18.

The Jets are thin at nickel, they’re evaluating young pieces down the stretch, and Clark now has a genuine path to playing time. He should be given every opportunity over the final few games of the season to prove he can factor into the team's secondary plans for 2026.

Jordan Clark could force his way into the Jets' secondary plans in 2026

Clark is not your typical rookie UDFA. The son of former Pro Bowl safety Ryan Clark, he spent five years at Arizona State before finishing his college career at Notre Dame, where he started eight games in 2024.

He fits the nickel role perfectly, as a scrappy, undersized at 5-foot-9, 184-pound defensive back. The Jets liked him enough to carry him on the practice squad all season, and his preseason tape backed it up, as he allowed just three catches for 14 yards on five targets this summer.

Taylor and Oliver are pending free agents, and while Brownlee has been one of the Jets’ best midseason finds, he hasn't done enough to solidify himself as a surefire long-term solution at the position.

Glenn has already shown he’s willing to lean on young defensive backs if they earn it — Azareye’h Thomas being the clearest example — and Clark may now receive that same opportunity. Multiple weeks of meaningful snaps are suddenly on the table.

Nothing is guaranteed, but the path to an expanded role is there. Clark went from special-teams-only practice squad player to legitimate nickel option in a matter of days.

If he can hold his own at the position while Brownlee recovers, this final month could end up being his first real step toward carving out a place in the Jets’ 2026 plans. All eyes will be on Jordan Clark in the Jets' secondary this weekend.