8 potential replacements for NY Jets safety Marcus Maye this offseason

4. The NY Jets could sign Justin Reid to replace Marcus Maye

Now for a couple more typical Marcus Maye replacements. Back to free agency here as we take a look at Houston Texans safety Justin Reid. Seen as one of the better safeties in football entering 2021, Reid is coming off of easily the worst season of his career.

The former third-round pick finished with a woeful Pro Football Focus grade of 51.8 that ranked 87th out of 94 qualified safeties. His underwhelming season culminated with a healthy scratch designation in the Texans' Week 12 game against the Jets for "disciplinary reasons."

Reid has the skill set to be a top player at his position as evidenced by his standout 2018 and 2019 seasons, but a disaster of a situation in Houston clearly took a toll on both his performance and mental state, as he's since admitted.

Still, you aren't going to find many better talents on the open market, and, assuming the Texans don't franchise tag him, Reid should have his fair share of suitors. Reid needs a change of scenery and the Jets could provide him with that.

3. The NY Jets could draft Verone McKinley III to replace Marcus Maye

One of my favorite Day 2/3 safety prospects is Oregon's Verone McKinley III. And if the Jets are looking for a true replacement for Marcus Maye, McKinley might just be the best bang for their buck.

Perhaps no safety in this class has better ball skills and turnover production than McKinley. The junior safety finished with a whopping six interceptions in 14 games this season after racking up five in his last 20 games.

He's a playmaker in every sense of the word. McKinley is able to force as many turnovers as he does because of his excellent instincts that help him dissect route combinations and read the quarterback's eyes.

He lacks the elite range to be counted on as a true single-high safety in most situations which could limit his versatility at the next level. But McKinley's talent shouldn't be overlooked in a pretty Day 2-heavy safety class.