After trading away Sauce Gardner at the deadline, New York Jets third-round rookie cornerback Azareye’h Thomas has stepped into a prominent defensive role.
The early returns have been highly promising — and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has taken notice.
“AZ is just stepping up,” Wilks told reporters on Thursday. “I think Brandon Stephens has done a tremendous job in really being that example for him [Thomas] on and off the field. I said this since day one about AZ, it’s not too big for him.”
Through seven games, Thomas has recorded 14 tackles and three stops while allowing just 10 completions on 22 targets for 168 yards and one touchdown while holding opposing quarterbacks to just an 86.9 passer rating.
Most notably, he’s closing in on a highly coveted Jets milestone. The Florida State product has logged a pass deflection in five straight games, tied for the third-longest streak by a Jets rookie. He’s one shy of matching Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis and two away from tying Gardner’s record.
The final five games, which some fans still write off as “meaningless,” carry real value for a player like Thomas. As a third-round rookie, these reps matter. They give him a chance to settle into the job and make a case to open next season as a full-time starter.
These last games offer Thomas more experience and give the staff a clearer view of a defense that has shown significant progress in recent weeks and aims to carry that momentum through the remainder of the year.
