Where in the world is Aaron Glenn‘s next Brian Branch? One possibility is a Miami Dolphins safety and free agent-to-be.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini recently floated the idea of Jevon Holland making sense in the New York Jets free agency world. Considering his usually strong man-coverage grades and plus-tackling ability, some may feel Holland is a perfect candidate to fit Glenn’s low-box and slot-coverage safety role.
Besides, stripping the Canadian-American away from an AFC East rival cannot hurt motivation.
“The Jets are desperate,” Cimini wrote. “Their top four safeties—none of whom are star quality—are pending free agents. Holland is young enough to be a foundational player for this new regime.”
Holland, 25, was a second-round pick of Miami in the 2021 NFL draft. Nearly a first-rounder (No. 36), the Oregon product can play nearly any safety position asked of him.
As Jets fans are acutely aware, Holland’s centerfield (solo-high) abilities are there. Two seasons ago, Holland returned a Tim Boyle Hail Mary 99 yards to the house on Black Friday.
Holland failed to secure a single interception in 15 games this past season, but he collected 62 tackles (42 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 4 passes defended.
However, Holland does have 5 interceptions on the back of his football card over the course of his 4 NFL seasons—in 60 total games (57 started).
To say the Jets’ safety room is thin would be the understatement of the decade. As of March 6, New York employs just one safety, Jaylin Simpson, a fifth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2024.
Tony Adams, Chuck Clark, Ashtyn Davis, and Jalen Mills are all free agents. Rostered cornerbacks Jarius Monroe and Jarrick Bernard-Converse have safety experience, but neither could be confidently relied upon.
Isaiah Oliver is another name who can play both cornerback and safety, but he’s also a free agent. The first group of four served as the team’s top four safeties this past season, which means the Jets are wholly desperate for safety help.
Signing Holland would cost new general manager Darren Mougey a pretty penny, though. According to Spotrac, his projected AAV is listed as $15.1 million, in the neighborhood of the 10 highest-paid safeties in the league.
