Window has opened for NY Jets to begin intriguing experiment

Already allowing the third-highest opposing passer rating in the NFL (105.6), the New York Jets’ struggling pass defense has been struck with another blow.

Starting safety Andre Cisco is expected to miss an uncertain amount of time due to a torn pectoral suffered in Sunday’s win over the Bengals. Cisco has started all eight games for New York and played 97.7% of their defensive snaps (second-highest on the team).

Cisco’s expected absence opens a vacancy in the Jets’ safety unit beside fourth-round rookie Malachi Moore, who was recently elevated to a starting role over Tony Adams. It will leave Adams and backup defensive back Isaiah Oliver as the Jets’ choices to start alongside Moore.

But what if there’s another option?

There is, and it’s an outside-the-box experiment that New York would be wise to consider: Moving Michael Carter II to safety.

Should Jets give Michael Carter II a shot at safety?

Not long ago, Carter was hailed as one of the NFL’s best slot corners. His efforts earned him a three-year, $30.75 million contract extension ahead of the 2024 season.

Fast forward to Week 8 of the 2025 season, and the 26-year-old was downgraded to a role that saw him play just six defensive snaps. He even played seven special teams snaps, his most since Week 4 of 2022.

It marked the new low point of a slide that dates back to the summer of 2024. Carter battled injuries throughout training camp, and those injuries lingered into the season, causing him to play a career-low 13 games while exiting early in many of the games he played. When on the field, Carter performed nowhere close to his peak form.

After a healthy summer in 2025, Carter appeared poised for a bounce-back season. Unfortunately, Carter continued to struggle through four games. Then, a concussion sidelined him for three games.

During his absence, the Jets witnessed the emergence of second-year corner Jarvis Brownlee in Carter’s slot role. Recently acquired in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, the 24-year-old Brownlee represented a substantial upgrade over Carter’s production since the start of the 2024 season.

Upon Carter’s return from concussion protocol in Week 8, head coach Aaron Glenn promised that the team would have packages for both Carter and Brownlee despite the latter having a better season. Fans groaned, but it turned out to be little more than lip service from Glenn.

Brownlee retained his role as the primary slot corner, playing 40 snaps against the Bengals (68%). Carter was barely involved, playing just six snaps (10%). Brownlee continued tightening his grip on Carter’s old role, recording two critical fourth-quarter pass breakups, including the game-sealer.

Carter’s future in New York is looking murky. He has been usurped by a younger, cheaper player signed through 2027. Since the Jets can escape Carter’s deal after the season, they have little motivation to turn back to him instead of continuing to evaluate Brownlee. Add in the fact that New York is out of contention at 1-7, and they have no incentive to lean toward the older and more expensive option.

For these reasons, Carter looks like one of the most tradable assets on New York’s roster as the November 4 trade deadline approaches.

The Jets might not be able to get much for him, as his stock is at an all-time low, but Carter is still in his prime years and has a track record of elite production in slot coverage. A contending team desperate for secondary help could be willing to swap picks to take a shot on him. The Jets would probably take whatever they can get now that Carter has become expendable.

But there might be a better way for the Jets to make the most of Carter.

Instead of dumping him for a paltry return while his stock is in the gutter, the Jets can try to reignite Carter’s career by giving him a shot at safety.

Carter played safety in high school. During his four-year college career at Duke, Carter was an extremely versatile defensive back who played nearly every role in the secondary. He finished his Duke tenure with 1,044 snaps in the slot, 651 snaps as an outside corner, 359 snaps in the box, and 75 snaps as a deep safety.

Entering the 2021 NFL draft, some scouts profiled Carter as a safety, but the Jets elected to deploy him in the slot. While he hasn’t played any extensive action at safety in the NFL, his versatile background could allow him to quickly transition into a new role without much of a learning curve.

After all, slot corners are often asked to handle similar assignments to safeties, whether it’s creeping into the box as an extra linebacker, covering tight ends man-to-man, or reading route concepts in zone coverage.