The New York Jets’ signing of former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens was met with skepticism the moment the news broke this offseason.
The Jets handed Stephens a three-year, $36 million contract with nearly $23 million guaranteed, an aggressive investment for a player who struggled mightily in Baltimore and one they won’t have a realistic financial out from until 2027.
The plan, at least publicly, was to plug Stephens in as the starting cornerback opposite Sauce Gardner. Head coach Aaron Glenn even went as far as to say he believed Stephens could become an “elite corner” in New York.
Still, given Stephens’ inconsistent play with the Ravens, the contract looked like a major gamble. Now, just a few months later, that gamble looks even riskier.
The Jets’ decision to draft Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft calls into question Stephens’ long-term fit — and maybe even his short-term job security.
The NY Jets’ Azareye’h Thomas pick puts Brandon Stephens on notice
Thomas wasn’t a panic pick or a developmental flier. He was a too-good-to-pass-up selection who fits exactly what Aaron Glenn and this coaching staff are trying to build.
Although Thomas slipped to No. 73 overall, in large part due to a disappointing 4.58-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, his film tells a different story. He’s a long, physical outside corner who thrives in press-man coverage, precisely the style the Jets seem intent on playing with Sauce Gardner already anchoring one side of the field.
Thomas is not a versatile do-it-all defensive back, and that’s a good thing for the Jets. His skill set projects almost exclusively as an outside boundary corner in a man-heavy system.
For a team like the Jets, which wants its corners to crowd receivers at the line of scrimmage and disrupt timing, Thomas is an ideal scheme fit. His arrival instantly creates competition at a position the Jets just spent big money trying to solidify with Stephens.
That competition isn’t just hypothetical either. Stephens was brought in to start, but his resume is far shakier than the price tag would suggest.
He showed flashes in Baltimore but struggled with consistency and discipline, and while he has experience at safety, shifting him there would only make his bloated contract even harder to justify.
Paying Stephens $12 million per year to be a safety — a less valuable position — would rank him among the highest-paid safeties in the league. While that idea has been floated around, that would only make the signing look even worse.
The reality is simple: if Thomas progresses the way the Jets believe he can, Stephens could find himself on the bench before ever fully establishing himself in New York. For a player who was supposed to be a key free-agent addition, that’s a harsh reality staring him straight in the face.
It would not be a surprise if Thomas pushes Stephens for the starting CB2 job as early as this season. Unfortunately, the Jets are locked into Stephens’ contract for at least the next two years, meaning either Thomas will be forced to wait his turn, or Stephens could find himself on the bench sooner than expected.
The Jets’ investment in Brandon Stephens already looks shaky just months after signing him. Thanks to Azareye’h Thomas, the pressure is on for Stephens to prove he can be part of the long-term plan under Aaron Glenn in New York.