One Position Battle Suddenly Heating Up at Jets Minicamp

The New York Jets must improve in the secondary going into the 2026 season after allowing the most passing TDs (36) and becoming the first team in league history to finish a season without a single interception in 2025. They may have lost All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner at last season's trade deadline, but there is a lot of potential in the current group the Jets have assembled.

Offseason team activities (OTAs) revealed a lot about the CB depth chart and who has impressed the most so far, but now that mandatory minicamp is in progress and the offseason program continues to move along, position battles are heating up even more.

That includes offseason acquisition Nahshon Wright and 2025 third-round pick Azareye'h Thomas at the CB position.

According to ESPN's Jets reporter Rich Cimini, Tuesday's minicamp practice was a "good day" for the CBs, "most notably Nahshon Wright, who had a PBU in an early 7-on-7 period." Cimini also noted that Wright is competing with Thomas for the CB2 job in the secondary.

While Jets on SI's Nick Faria, who was also at Tuesday's minicamp, highlighted Wright's "versatility and anticipation" being something the Jets have been lacking in the secondary in recent years, this appears to be a position battle that is only beginning to heat up throughout the remainder of the offseason.

Jets' CB2 battle worth watching closely

Wright clearly had a standout first practice and offers a ton of upside coming off a breakout season with the Chicago Bears. Many questioned whether the Jets made the correct move by signing Wright to a one-year, $5.5 million deal ($3.5 million fully guaranteed) after he was previously traded by the Dallas Cowboys and cut twice by the Minnesota Vikings.

While the Jets appear to be banking on last season in Chicago not being a one-hit wonder for the CB, Wright gives them a low-risk addition and plenty of reason to believe the Jets may have fooled the entire league when they signed him.

Granted, he gave up 816 yards on 60 completions and six touchdowns in pass coverage last season. But he was also tied for the second-most interceptions in the league (five) and recorded an encouraging 72.9 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus that ranked 23rd out of 114 qualified CBs in 2025.

Thomas is only going into his second season in the NFL, but he offered more than enough promise in his rookie season to make this competition far from over. The former Florida State Seminole played in a total of 12 games and recorded 22 total tackles, seven passes defended, and two tackles for loss.

Even more encouraging, Thomas posted a 48.1 completion percentage when targeted and only allowed one touchdown.

Sure, his subpar PFF grades in coverage (55.5) and run defense (52.2) were disappointing, but he also missed a game with a concussion and was placed on injured reserve during the final month of the regular season due to a shoulder injury.

With that said, he did not let the pressure get to him when he became the starter following the Gardner trade, putting him at the center of a fascinating question regarding how the Jets' CB situation will play out.

As of now, Wright, Brandon Stephens, and second-round pick D'Angelo Ponds are listed as the starters, with Ponds taking the nickel spot. Stephens impressed in OTAs, but so, too, did Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Ponds, who have been in a battle of their own.

There are plenty of position battles to keep an eye on as the Jets try to put together their ideal 53-man roster ahead of the 2026 season. If OTAs and mandatory minicamp are a sign of what is to come, the CB2 battle could be an intriguing one as Wright and Thomas go toe-to-toe to see who can stand out the most.