Jamien Sherwood has been on the New York Jets roster for five seasons now and has seen plenty of change.
The core of the defensive roster around him, though, has not. All-Pros like Sauce Gardner and the Williams brothers still control their position groups, and quality youngsters like Will McDonald and Michael Carter II have brought a level of dominance to the unit.
As the team kicks off a new era with a new head coach, though, it’s a couple of additions the Jets have made to their defense that have caught Sherwood’s eyes.
Sherwood Raves About Jets’ Newcomers
New York moved quickly at the start of free agency to add former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens and former Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco.
Of the two, only Stephens received a long-term deal on his three-year, $36 million contract.
Speaking at the start of offseason workouts, Sherwood can foresee a bright future for both quality starters on the roster as they move along.
“I think they are great. Watching their tape, for Cisco, we actually came out at the same time in the 2018 class,” Sherwood said. “I had a friend on Jacksonville so I used to watch the Jaguars pretty often and he’s been a great player since college. He’s a ballhawk.
“Same thing with Brandon Stephens. He’s a long and physical corner. I’m excited to play with both of them this season.”
Stephens struggled at times last season for the Ravens, and many were surprised he received the long-term commitment from New York that he did. On Cisco’s side, the 25-year-old is coming off a down year himself but is just a year removed from a four-interception season that had many wondering if he would become the next top player at his position.
Many things can change in an offseason of workouts and game planning, but it’s clear that Sherwood believes both players can make an immediate impact moving forward on the roster.
And for a linebacker who received a contract extension worth $15 million a year with Gang Green, Sherwood’s thoughts may also be something the rest of the unit holds.
