Jets $36 Million Blockbuster Pickup Called 'Weak Link'

The New York Jets lost one big cornerback this offseason and quickly responded by adding a new one to the franchise.

Former Jets corner DJ Reed was one of the top free agents in this year's draft class and moved on by signing with the Detroit Lions. It wasn't shocking that Reed left the franchise. He's a great player, but with all of the holes the team had heading into the offseason as well as the significant money on the books, it seemed like Reed was going to be too expensive.

The Jets already have a lot of commitments and now guys like Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson are eligible for contract extensions so there only was so much money to go around.

Shortly after Reed signed with Detroit, the Jets did add a new No. 2 cornerback, though, by signing former Baltimore Ravens corner Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million deal. He's a four-year veteran, former third-round pick. and has pretty good size but is coming off an up-and-down season.

Clearly, the Jets see something in him. But, people on the outside looking in have had some negative takes on the deal. Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport even had it ranked as the seventh-worst deal of the offseason and called him the "weak link" of the Ravens' defense last year.

"Contract Terms: Three years, $36 million, $23 million guaranteed," Davenport said. "After losing cornerback D.J. Reed to the Detroit Lions, the New York Jets were left with a hole in the secondary. Jets general manager Darren Mougey moved quickly to fill that void, agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with Brandon Stephens. But as is often the case when teams jump to fill a need, Mougey didn’t look before he leaped—and it could cost the Jets in the long run...

"Stephens is a bigger cornerback at 6’1”. But that’s about the only thing he had going for him a year ago. Stephens was the weak link in the Ravens secondary last year, allowing almost 65 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed, allowing career-highs in yards in touchdowns and posting a passer rating against over 100 for the second time in four years. It’s not going to take New York’s opponents long to figure out that targeting Stephens is the smart play—and $12 million a season is a lot to pay a guy to get roasted like Mr. Peanut."

That seems to be pretty aggressive. He's just 27 years old. Put him on a defense with Gardner and led by head coach Aaron Glenn and it wouldn't be a surprise to see this deal met with more positivity after the season.