Jets' weirdest offseason move quietly off to encouraging start

The New York Jets adopted a passive approach to free agency in the first offseason of the Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn era. The team only handed out two multi-year contracts to free agents, with no external addition exceeding $40 million in total contract value.

That's why many were surprised when the team made former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens their big-money offseason signing. Stephens was signed to a three-year, $36 million contract by the Jets in March — a hefty investment for a team that was rather quiet in free agency.

Stephens was the only free agent the Jets signed to a three-year deal this offseason, with new quarterback Justin Fields the only other external addition to receive a multi-year contract.

This is despite the fact that Stephens was statistically one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL last season. It was an early heat check for this new Jets regime, and at least through his first training camp with the team, Stephens is living up to the hype.

Brandon Stephens is proving the Jets' coaching staff right so far

Reports out of Jets training camp were nothing but positive about the former SMU standout. Will Parkinson of the Turn on the Jets podcast insisted that Stephens looked like a "transformed player," and other reports from camp confirmed that narrative.

The Jets clearly saw something they could work with in Stephens. During his time in Baltimore, he consistently found himself in tight coverage, often sticking with receivers stride for stride.

His physicality, discipline, and ability to mirror routes made him a tough assignment for opposing wideouts, even if the results didn’t always show up on the stat sheet.

The problem — and it’s been the biggest knock on his game — is what happens at the catch point. Stephens has frequently struggled to get his head around and make a play on the ball, often turning strong coverage into frustrating completions.

The Jets are betting that with proper coaching and a defined role in their scheme, they can correct that fatal flaw while maximizing the traits that already make him so effective in coverage. If they succeed, Stephens could prove to be one of the savvier pickups of the offseason.

But there's clearly a lot of work that needs to be done. Stephens is the most targeted cornerback in the NFL over the last two seasons for a reason. His 806 yards allowed in coverage last year ranked second-worst among all cornerbacks.

The Stephens signing understandably garnered plenty of negative attention from Jets fans who questioned the team's vision, but the early returns on investment have been promising. Stephens and the Jets will have every chance to prove their doubters wrong this season.

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