NY Jets not expected to re-sign Ashtyn Davis in free agency

The NY Jets will see some turnover in their defensive backfield this offseason as the team officially saw starting safety Jordan Whitehead depart to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday. Whitehead might not be the only Jets safety leaving this offseason, however.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported on Wednesday that pending free agent Ashtyn Davis is unlikely to return in 2024. Rosenblatt is reporting that "the expectation right now is that Davis won’t return" next season.

The reason given is that Davis is seeking an opportunity to be a starter for a team in 2024, and after the Jets re-signed veteran Chuck Clark this week, it's unlikely Davis will get that opportunity in New York.

Rosenblatt did suggest that the door will be left open for Davis to return if he's unable to land a starting job for another team. However, at this time, the assumption is that Davis has played his final game with the Jets.

The NY Jets will miss Ashtyn Davis if he leaves this offseason

A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Davis fell short of expectations in his first three seasons in the NFL. The California product struggled when given an opportunity on defense before being relegated to almost strictly a special-teams role in 2022.

While Davis proved his value as a core special-teamer, he played just 13 defensive snaps in 2022. He was firmly on the roster bubble entering the 2023 season, and it's quite possible his special-teams prowess was the only reason he made the 53-man roster.

Davis turned the narrative around this past season, solidifying his role as the Jets' third safety and genuinely developing into an important part-time player in the team's defense.

He played a whopping 217 defensive snaps, finishing with three interceptions, eight passes deflected, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries. Davis maximized his snaps and proved to be a playmaker in every sense of the word.

His growth over the last six months is why he believes he can earn a starting job with another team. It's hard to blame him for seeking a better opportunity, but the Jets would certainly miss Davis if he walked in free agency.

The only three safeties currently under contract are the aforementioned Clark, Tony Adams, and 2023 sixth-round pick Jarrick Bernard-Converse. The Jets would need to find a player to fill Davis's role on both defense and, perhaps even more importantly, special teams.

Ashtyn Davis has developed into a fan favorite and one of the most underrated players on the Jets' roster. Unfortunately, there's a very good chance he won't be back in Florham Park next season.