The Jets suddenly have a bizarre Nahshon Wright problem in their secondary

If and when the New York Jets snap their interception drought, we have this growing sense that Nahshon Wright won’t be the one with the ball in his hands. 

At this rate, we’re not even sure how much longer Wright will be on the roster. The veteran corner was a healthy scratch against the Lions, which coincided with highly touted rookie D’Angelo Ponds’ NFL debut. He played zero defensive snaps over the first two weeks, and his only action came on special teams. 

Considering that the Jets guaranteed Wright $3.5 million this past spring, his already being a non-factor is concerning in its own right. But things get even stranger and more troubling when you remember the 27-year-old corner led the NFL with eight takeaways last season.

What’s going on with New York Jets cornerback Nahshon Wright?

Seeing as Geno Smith is quarterbacking the Jets again, let’s go down memory lane and reminisce about one of his former teammates: Dmitri Patterson. 

Who?

The Jets signed Patterson to a one-year deal in April 2014, much as they did with Wright this past spring. He was a journeyman cornerback who had four interceptions in six games with the Dolphins, and naturally, fans marveled at him putting up those types of numbers under Rex Ryan. 

Wright has already played more games with the Jets than Patterson, who was suspended indefinitely that August for allegedly leaving the team without permission. The team promptly released him several days later, and he retired shortly thereafter. At least Aaron Glenn isn’t dealing with a similar situation. 

We reference Patterson solely because Jets fans saw the interception total and instantly assumed he’d be a major contributor. Sounds familiar, right?

At least with Patterson, Ryan and the Jets had a valid reason to cut their ties and eat roughly $1 million in guarantees. We’ve heard absolutely nothing about Wright for quite some time now, which isn’t always a bad thing. Some players don’t warrant an X post or long read article because they’re quietly doing their job. 

There’s no reason to believe Wright is hurt, nor has Glenn indicated the veteran defender is working through other issues. That said, you don’t guarantee someone $3.5 million only to seemingly give up on them after two games, and that’s the key part. Guaranteed money is exactly what it says on the tin.

In the grand scheme of things, $3.5 million is chump change to owners and lead football executives. If not for Wright’s final 2025 numbers, we likely wouldn’t have even noticed his lack of action. He signed a prove-it deal and did enough to survive final cuts, though we’re now asking ourselves whether that would have been the case if Ponds were healthy.

Could this be something? Sure. Is there a chance it turns out to be nothing? Absolutely. Sunday’s showdown with the Bears might prove invaluable in determining the answer, because we’re certainly curious.

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