5 biggest non-QB needs on the NY Jets roster this offseason

3. The NY Jets need to address safety

There are five safeties on the roster this year but zero of them are coming into the 2023 season with any semblance of even above-average play this past season.

Jordan Whitehead was one of the biggest disappointments of the season, finishing 47th in overall PFF grade amongst 89 qualified safeties.

Lamarcus Joyner only made $1.4 million last year, but one could argue he was overpaid too, as he finished 71st in overall PFF grade out of those 89 safeties.

If you watched the games, it should come as no surprise to you that coverage was an issue, as Joyner was 75th in the NFL in PFF coverage grade, despite his team-leading three interceptions.

Whitehead was better in coverage (30th out of 90) but neither were big factors in the run, where Whitehead and Joyner ranked 54th and 59th respectively.

Due to the timing and size of Whitehead's contract, it seems likely that he will be back next year, and the soon-to-be 26-year-old can try to prove that last year was an outlier to what has otherwise been a promising career.

Joyner, on the other hand, is a free agent who I don't expect to be re-signed. The Jets don't appear to have a viable replacement currently on the roster, but perhaps re-signing Will Parks is an indication that they know something we don't.

My proposed solution here is to draft another Day 2 weapon, this time at safety, to develop into the exact type of player that fits Robert Saleh's scheme.

Saleh actually did this fairly nicely in his first draft, molding college safety Michael Carter II into one of the best slot corners in the league, and converting a few other safeties into linebackers.

With $7 million already allocated to Whitehead, I just don't see Joe Douglas spending the necessary dollars to get a quality talent to play a position that isn't considered a 'premium position' in football. I actually expected them to draft a safety last year, but better late than never.