D’Angelo Ponds is finally set to make his New York Jets debut, and even if the rookie cornerback’s workload is limited, there’s a real chance he matters right away against the Lions.
Ponds has been out for all of training camp and the first two weeks of the season, so this isn’t exactly the smoothest rollout for him or the Jets. Still, he’s no longer on the injury report, and after two full weeks of practice, he appears ready to get on the field.
How much he actually plays is the open question. But there’s a clear lane for him to be useful.
The Jets have gotten solid early work from Brandon Stephens and Azareye’h Thomas on the outside, while Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has handled the slot well enough. Even so, that’s the area where Ponds could get his first chances.
The matchup points directly to Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, who works plenty from the slot and is exactly the kind of receiver who can force New York to mix and match defenders.
St. Brown enters the game first in the NFL in catches with 19 and receiving touchdowns with four, and he’s fifth in receiving yards with 209. The Lions are going to keep feeding him, which makes having another body to throw at him valuable for Aaron Glenn.
Ponds brings speed and quickness to the table, and that gives the Jets some flexibility. He could be used as a blizter off the edge, matched up in man coverage, or dropped into the flat.
That kind of uncertainty can matter when a defense is trying to keep a player like St. Brown from settling in.
There’s also the run defense piece. Ponds is physical there, and that could help against Jahmyr Gibbs.
None of this means the Jets should expect too much too soon. Ponds is a rookie making his debut on the road in a tough spot. But New York drafted him 50th overall for a reason, and even a limited snap count could still give the Jets a boost.
With the injuries piling up, simply getting Ponds onto the field would be a welcome development. If he can flash in those chances, the Jets may have found a useful piece sooner than expected.
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