NY Jets make surprising defensive change by benching established starter

The NY Jets need to make some serious changes to their entire defensive operation. What was once a top-five unit under Robert Saleh has performed like one of the worst units in the game after Jeff Ulbrich took over as head coach without relinquishing defensive coordinator duties.

The biggest issue this team has had in that span, which was illustrated to perfection against the Arizona Cardinals, is an inability to tackle in open space. Safety Tony Adams, once heralded as an internal success story after his rise from UDFA to a trusted starter, has been one of the many Jets that has not lived up to the billing.

The Jets can't afford any more slip-ups if they want to make a miracle charge for a winning season. In an attempt to shock the defense back to reality, the Jets are making a move that will tell Adams that his performance has not been up to par.

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, the Jets have made the decision to bench Adams despite him ranking third on the team in tackles. Expect to see more of Isaiah Oliver and Jalen Mills in the coming games, as Adams' performance was apparently not satisfactory in the eyes of this much-maligned staff.

NY Jets benching starting safety Tony Adams after loss to Cardinals

Adams was originally viewed as one of Saleh's great development stories. After arriving as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois, Adams became a starter by his second full season in the NFL. Adams recorded 82 tackles and three interceptions last year, rebounding after a slow start.

2024 has been a very tough year for him, as his limitations have been exposed. With no picks on the season and multiple missed tackles in critical situations, Adams' poor play coupled with the Jets' overall lack of depth at the safety position has taken a major chunk out of the team's overall effectiveness.

Mills, who wasn't even on the Jets a few weeks ago, has seemingly taken ownership of the starting safety job with Adams demoted. Oliver has seen an uptick in snaps as Michael Carter II struggles to stay healthy, and that will likely continue after this move.

Last season, the Jets sacrificed Michael Carter by releasing the running back amid some offensive struggles. In 2024, Adams may be the scapegoat. Time will tell if this wakes the defense up or contributes further to the downward slide.

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