NY Jets news: No. 2 cornerback job 'up for grabs' this summer

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Blessuan Austin / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com via Imagn

The NY Jets are expected to have plenty of competition at a number of different spots this summer. But the one position that might feature the most competition is the cornerback position.

The Jets went into the offseason with a gaping hole at cornerback, but they surprisingly waited until Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft to address the position in any meaningful way.

As it stands, the Jets have a collection of unproven youngsters all vying for playing time at cornerback. That's likely the reason Bleacher Report's Maurice Moton recently called the position "up for grabs."

Given the sheer amount of unproven talent in that cornerback room, it's hard to argue that notion.

The NY Jets' cornerback jobs are wide open this summer.

This does come with a caveat, however, Moton did specify that it's not both starting outside cornerback jobs are "up for grabs." That's because 2020 fifth-round pick Bryce Hall is likely locked into one of those starting jobs.

At the moment, the presumptive starter is 2019 sixth-round pick Blessuan Austin. Austin was one of the biggest surprises of the 2019 season as he returned from a major injury to play well down the stretch.

Unfortunately, he took a step back in 2020 and is far from a lock to earn a starting spot.

Perhaps his biggest threat will come in the form of fifth-round rookie Jason Pinnock. With Austin sidelined this spring, Pinnock was given the first crack at replacing him in the first-team defense.

The former Pittsburgh standout is an athletic cornerback with good size for the position. If he impresses this summer, there's a decent chance he starts opposite Hall come Week 1.

It's not just Austin and Pinnock, however. Undrafted rookie Isaiah Dunn made waves this spring splitting time with Pinnock in the first-team defense.

The Jets made Dunn the highest-paid undrafted cornerback of all time this past May indicating that they firmly believe he will not only make the roster, but play a significant role in 2021 and beyond.

Perhaps that role is as the team's No. 2 cornerback opposite Bryce Hall.

Training camp should bring a fierce battle as Austin, Pinnock, and Dunn — among others, potentially — all compete for a starting role in the Jets defense.

It truly is anyone's job to earn.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.