Jarius Monroe is heading into another Jets summer with a familiar challenge in front of him: find a way to stick.
The third-year defensive back has already lived a few different football lives in New York. The Jets brought him in as an undrafted cornerback in 2024, stashed him on the practice squad, then used him at safety in five games as a rookie.
When Aaron Glenn’s staff took over the next offseason, Monroe was moved back to cornerback, the position he played in college. That switch gave him a fresh shot, and for a while it looked like he might turn it into something real.
He flashed in the 2025 preseason and was pushing for one of the final roster spots before an undisclosed injury in the preseason finale shut the door. The Jets eventually brought him back, and now he gets one more crack at carving out a role. At this point, the path is pretty clear: if Monroe is going to survive, special teams is probably where he does it.
Monroe’s college résumé explains why he’s kept hanging around. He spent three seasons starting at cornerback at FCS-level Nicholls State before transferring to Tulane for his final two years.
There, he earned first-team All-AAC honors both seasons and picked off six passes. The ball production and size were easy to like.
The athletic profile, not so much.
He ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash at his pro day and posted a 2.94 Relative Athletic Score. His agility numbers were poor, and his stiff hips raised obvious questions about whether he could really hold up outside against NFL receivers.
That’s why the previous Jets staff thought safety made more sense for him. He spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad before getting those five late-season appearances.
Glenn’s staff saw a different fit. They moved him back to cornerback last summer and gave him enough preseason work to enter the roster conversation.
Then the injury hit in the finale, and his bid for the 53-man roster ended there. New York placed him on injured reserve, waived him with an injury settlement, and later brought him back to the practice squad in November.
After returning, Monroe appeared in four games, including each of the final three weeks, but he logged only three defensive snaps. The bigger number was on special teams, where he played 77 snaps. That’s the lane he has to keep driving in if he wants another year in green and white.
There are reasons the Jets may still keep him around. Monroe has the size and physicality to help on coverage units, and he showed he’s willing to mix it up in run support during the 2025 preseason.
He missed zero of his nine tackle attempts and posted an 81.5 Pro Football Focus tackle grade. That kind of work won’t grab headlines, but it matters for a player in his spot.
The problem is the depth chart is crowded. At cornerback, Brandon Stephens, Nahshon Wright, Azareye’h Thomas, D’Angelo Ponds, Jarvis Brownlee, and likely Qwan'tez Stiggers all appear to be ahead of him. At safety, the Jets also have five players who seem to be part of the 2026 plan: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dane Belton, Malachi Moore, Andre Cisco, and VJ Payne.
Monroe does have one thing going for him: familiarity. He knows Glenn’s defense, and this staff already showed enough belief in him to bring him back after the injury and give him another late-season chance. That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does mean he hasn’t been forgotten.
For Monroe, the most realistic win in training camp is another practice squad spot. That’s not locked in, but it’s the clearest target.
Staying healthy, sharpening his game in his second summer back at cornerback, and continuing to contribute on special teams would all help his case. A strong preseason could even put him in the mix for one of the final secondary spots, though the Jets’ improved depth makes that a tough climb.
He’s already lasted two years as an undrafted player while bouncing between positions and coaching staffs. To make it three, he needs another productive summer.
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