The New York Jets are making moves in the defensive backfield.
New York waived/injured Jaylin Simpson after the second-year safety suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday’s practice. In a corresponding move, they claimed defensive back Mario Goodrich off waivers from the Denver Broncos.
Simpson was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He was waived before the season and signed to the Colts’ practice squad. New York signed him off Indianapolis’ practice squad in December.
Goodrich is a fascinating waiver pickup for the Jets at this stage of the summer. Still only 25 years old, the 2022 undrafted free agent out of Clemson has shown some flashes of roster-caliber ability in three NFL seasons.
After signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as a UDFA in 2022, Goodrich was signed to the team’s practice squad ahead of the season. Philadelphia brought him back on a reserve/future contract in 2023, and Goodrich would play four games with one start. The slot cornerback logged 70 snaps on defense and 40 on special teams, making five total tackles.
Following stints with the New York Giants, the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions, and the Broncos, Goodrich finds himself in Florham Park. There, the six-foot nickel corner will compete for a roster spot on a retooling Jets team that has welcomed a plethora of young talent this offseason.
With the Jets having a deep cornerback unit, Goodrich’s best path to the roster will be on special teams. The door is wide open for roster-bubble players to make an impression in that phase. Special teams ace Irvin Charles is on the PUP list as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered last December, while veteran special teamer Kris Boyd suffered a shoulder injury during Saturday’s practice that could cause him to miss time.
In the 2023 preseason with Philadelphia, Goodrich earned a 72.5 special teams grade from Pro Football Focus across two appearances. He contributed to the kickoff coverage, kickoff return, punt return, and field goal block units. Goodrich also played 40 special teams snaps in the regular season, posting a slightly below-average special teams grade of 55.7 at PFF.
It would be surprising if Goodrich makes much of an impression on defense, but with the Jets lacking mainstay contributors on special teams, fringe players like Goodrich have a golden opportunity to make themselves indispensable in that phase.