2022 NY Jets spring depth chart preview: Safeties

Safety was once one of the NY Jets' best and most talented positions, and while it's definitely not the asset it once was to this Gang Green defense, this group has the potential to surprise a lot of people in the 2022 season.

The group is headlined by veteran Lamarcus Joyner and free-agent signee from Tampa Bay, Jordan Whitehead. While this team's depth pieces aren't big names, they're certainly talented and ready to prove themselves in the NFL.

No Jets fan out there should expect an elite-level safety group with multiple Pro Bowl appearances, but if this group can be effective behind a great line and a good young cornerback group, then we could be seeing a solid unit that can do a good job for this team.

Depth chart: Lamarcus Joyner, Jordan Whitehead, Ashtyn Davis, Jason Pinnock, Elijah Riley, Will Parks

1. What are the pros of this 2022 NY Jets safety group?

This unit may not have superstars as they have in the past such as Jamal Adams (despite how Jets fans now understandably feel about him), but the biggest positive of this team is the depth of quality players.

Sure, some of them may not be proven at the next level, but based on skill and effort, no players in this group are going to let the Jets down. On Sundays, along with the rest of this talented defense, that will go a long way toward winning some games.

On top of that depth, this group has fantastic versatility, as every player is willing to play any role with any other player on the field. It's this type of versatility that should allow the Jets to survive injuries and rough stretches of play at the position.

2. What are the cons of the 2022 NY Jets safety group?

While this Jets safety group has the potential to be overall solid contributors to the Jets' success, that's only if they can stay on the field, something that Joyner, Davis, and Pinnock have all had issues with in recent years.

One issue that stems from this is chemistry, which this group hasn't had the chance to build yet. While there's plenty of time throughout the offseason to build that, it's something for Jets fans to keep a close eye on.

Jordan Whitehead is ready to spearhead this group in 2022, and if he can stay healthy as the leader of this group, then health shouldn't be as big of a worry for Jets fans. But after the past few years' injury toll, that's never something to be confident about.

3. Who will be the biggest stud for this 2022 NY Jets safety group?

This one might be completely obvious, but given his experience over the past few years on a winning playoff team, as well as the talent and drive that he possesses, it's no shock that the 2022 Jets' safety stud of the year should be Jordan Whitehead.

Whitehead is one of the most dynamic safeties in the game today, just as capable of laying out a receiver as he is making a momentum turning interception, and given the Jets' lack of overall experience in the secondary, this will play huge.

Statistically, Whitehead may not be among the best in the league in his first year for the Jets, but in terms of pure impact and positively affecting the game, there's no doubt he'll be the difference-maker this promising defense needs.

4. What are the biggest storylines to watch at OTAs and training camp for the 2022 NY Jets safety group?

When the Jets landed Jordan Whitehead in free agency, fans couldn't have been happier, and the former Buc has been penciled in as a Week 1 starter, but the biggest storyline out of OTAs/training camp is just who will be his running mate?

The obvious choice is veteran Lamarcus Joyner who has the most experience, and when healthy over the past few years, has been quite effective. But he has a few young guys gunning for that spot.

Jason Pinnock, Ashtyn Davis, Elijah Riley, and Will Parks can all definitely hold their own at the NFL level, but unfortunately for the Jets, they just can't make big-time plays consistently like Joyner yet.

With two experienced players likely starting for the Jets, this gives the young guys plenty of time to grow and learn under great teachers, so camp may produce some interesting moments. Overall, it should be a quiet one for this group.

5. Predictions for the 2022 NY Jets safety group?

The Jets aren't expecting their safeties to be stars in 2022, but they feel confident in their defensive unit as a whole, and therefore, it's hard to pinpoint just how effective this group will be in the upcoming season.

We'll no doubt see some solid hits and game-changing plays from Joyner and Whitehead, but unfortunately, it's not enough to see them be recognized as one of the top 10-15 units in the NFL entering the season.

Thankfully, the Jets have enough potential up front and at the cornerback spot that they don't need this group to be perfect. They just need to play their role and impact the game to be effective, and Robert Saleh, Joe Douglas, and the Jets believe they can do just that.