The Jets’ cornerback situation has only made the D’Angelo Ponds question louder.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was one of the roughest performers on the field Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Pro Football Focus gave him a 32.1 grade, the lowest on the team, according to The Jet Press’ own Justin Fried. That kind of outing naturally turns the spotlight toward Ponds, the No. 50 overall pick in April’s draft, and why he’s still spending so much time on the sideline.
There’s a clear explanation for part of it: a calf injury wiped out key development time for Ponds during training camp and the preseason. But it’s November now, and the questions are getting harder to ignore. The Indiana product was drafted in the second round, yet his role has stayed extremely limited.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Aaron Glenn was asked directly about Ponds’ playing time and whether Brownlee’s struggles might open the door for the rookie. Glenn didn’t sound interested in forcing the issue.
“We can only play so many people. You see that across the league a number of hot picks...
[Fernando] Mendoza hasn’t played at all. We have some other good players on the team... he’s going to get his shot.
He’s a damn good player; we all know that. Just be patient and give him a little time...
He’s going to get a shot to play.”
That’s the message from the head coach: Ponds is coming, but not yet.
Still, with the Jets sitting at 2-6, the season is already on life support, and this is usually the stage where teams start leaning into the players who matter most for the future. Brownlee, especially with the disciplinary issues he’s dealt with this year, doesn’t look like the better long-term answer.
Through eight games, Ponds has played only 15% of New York’s defensive snaps. The hope now is simple: that number starts climbing fast over the second half of the season.
In Other News...
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For the Jets, the bigger issue is what happens to the players around him if they choose to break that up. Smiths presence has helped young targets like Omar Cooper Jr., Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor and Adonai Mitchell settle in and grow, which is the sort of developmental progress teams usually want to protect, not interrupt. If the front office decides to listen on offers, it will have to weigh a short-term asset gain against the risk of setting the offense back at a moment when continuity still matters. [Read more 🡒]
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According to The Athletics Zack Rosenblatt, there is at least some interest in entertaining a McDonald trade, though the price would have to be meaningful enough to change the Jets thinking. For now, the more likely path is standing pat through the 2026 trade deadline, with any real shopping more apt to happen on the offensive side than along the edge. [Read more 🡒]
Breece Hall Returns With More Than Just His Jets Role At Stake
Breece Hall is expected back for the Jets against the Chiefs after missing time with an injury, and his return brings more than just a familiar name back into the backfield. In his absence, Braelon Allen made a strong case for a larger role, giving New York a useful reminder that the running game can still function with a different look when Hall is sidelined.
Hall also opened up about stepping away from social media during the layoff, a sign that the week away carried a heavier personal toll than just rehab and missed snaps. He was candid about the pressure around his status and the noise that can follow a player through injuries and role questions, even as he heads back into a backfield where the conversation has changed a bit since he last suited up. [Read more 🡒]