NY Jets: 3 players that must step up following the Carl Lawson injury

3. The NY Jets' cornerbacks

We're cheating a little with this first entry. Rather than list a specific cornerback like Bryce Hall, it makes more sense to include the Jets' entire cornerback room at this spot.

Robert Saleh's general defensive strategy is a rather simple one. He relies on a strong defensive front to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and make the lives of his cornerbacks that much easier.

By getting pressure, he takes pressure off of his secondary. That strategy affects roster building as evidenced by the varying degrees of importance the Jets have placed on the defensive line and cornerback positions this offseason.

It's a tried and true method that worked for Saleh when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. Of course, the Jets don't exactly have a Richard Sherman in the secondary to lean on though.

Nonetheless, with Lawson out, the Jets will be scrambling for ways to replicate his pass-rush production. Chances are, they won't be able to adequately replace him.

That means the Jets' secondary will be forced to step up as they won't be able to lean as much on the pass rush.

The Jets have the most inexperienced cornerback room in the NFL. Not only that, but of the 11 cornerbacks currently under contract with the Jets, not a single one of them was drafted before the fifth round.

That's a mind-blowing fact and it speaks to just how unproven this group is.

Unfortunately, they won't have Carl Lawson to bail them out anymore.