NY Jets: 3 best value signings of the 2021 offseason

2. Lamarcus Joyner, S, NY Jets

It's easy to forget just how good of a safety Lamarcus Joyner was only a few short years ago. Probably because he hasn't played the safety position full-time since his days with the Los Angeles Rams.

Now with the Jets, Joyner is expected to return to his natural free safety position after a tumultuous two years with the Las Vegas Raiders. And the Jets couldn't be more thrilled about it.

Joyner was signed to a meager one-year, $4.5 million contract in the offseason, but the 30-year-old is expected to immediately take over the starting free safety job.

That's quite the bargain for a player who was ranked as Pro Football Focus' No. 2 safety in the entire NFL back in 2017. While he hasn't reached those heights again, he was still an effective starter in 2018 — his last year with the Rams.

The Raiders converted him to a full-time nickel corner and stubbornly kept him there despite a disastrous first season. However, the last time we saw Joyner as a full-time safety, he was one of the better players at his position in the league.

2020 third-round pick Ashtyn Davis will be asked to take on more of a third safety role playing quite a bit in sub-packages, but Joyner is the player the Jets will rely on as their true deep-half, center-field safety.

Joyner signed for cheap given his difficult two seasons with the Raiders, but now back at his natural position, this signing has a chance to be looked at as one of the savviest of the offseason.