The most important Jets OTA battle might not be the obvious one

There are plenty of position battles to keep a close eye on as the New York Jets work through the offseason program this summer.

Arguably, the most high-profile is the QB2 competition, where Cade Klubnik, Bailey Zappe, and Brady Cook compete to be Geno Smith's primary backup.

But is it the most important? Likely not. On the defensive side of the ball, the Jets are still trying to figure out starters on their backend, at both safety and cornerback.

The picture is slightly clearer at cornerback, with Brandon Stephens and Nahshon Wright the two likely starters.

But at safety? Only new addition Minkah Fitzpatrick is guaranteed a starting spot, and Andre Cisco, Malachi Moore, Dane Belton, and VJ Payne will be competing for the remaining opening.

Jets safety battle key competition to watch this summer

When it comes to the safety competition, there's no clear answer as of now who's the leader in the clubhouse to start opposite Fitzpatrick.

Cisco is the one with the most experience among his in-house competition, and already has a year of experience under his belt with Aaron Glenn. But that year wasn't exactly his best.

The former third-round pick started eight games for the Jets last season before going down with a torn pectoral injury. In that small sample size, he graded out as Pro Football Focus' 64th-best safety with a 61.3 overall grade.

2025 fourth-round pick Malachi Moore is the player fans should want to see succeed. The former Alabama standout appeared in all 17 games for New York last season and was a mixed bag when on the field.

Considering the pedigree he comes from, a defensive back from Alabama, Moore has the talent to succeed in the NFL. He just needs to continue improving.

If neither Cisco nor Moore pans out, the Jets can turn to the former New York Giants safety they signed in free agency, Belton, to start.

Outside of Fitzpatrick and Cisco, Belton is the only other seasoned veteran New York has available to them.

He's appeared in 66 games over his career and has racked up 240 tackles, six interceptions, and 16 pass breakups.

Belton isn't the best in coverage, but he is one of the better tackling safeties in the NFL. He's sure to be a contributor on special teams, but his role on defense remains unclear.

The safety with the longest shot to be a starter is the seventh-round draft pick, Payne. His physical tools give him a shot to develop in the future, but for now, he's a project.

As previously mentioned, there's no indication who currently has the edge in the competition. But it will be an important one to watch this summer as the Jets configure their starting lineup.

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