NY Jets film session: Can Jarvis Brownlee push Ponds at SCB?

When it comes to NFL roster battles, fans generally prefer to see the younger, higher-upside player win.

That’s the case with the Jets’ slot cornerback battle in 2026. Second-round rookie D’Angelo Ponds is the fan-favorite to win a duel with Jarvis Brownlee, a 2024 seventh-round pick of the Titans who was acquired by New York in a 2025 mid-season trade.

Ponds might also make a push for a spot on the boundary, but it’s in the slot where the 5-foot-8 corner has the quickest path to playing time. Brownlee is the only player standing in his way.

Upon joining the Jets in exchange for a late-round pick swap, Brownlee immediately made his presence felt in 2025. In his first game, he forced the Jets’ first takeaway of the season through a punch-out. Add in some bone-crushing hits near the line of scrimmage, and Brownlee quickly became a rare bright spot on the Jets’ struggling defense.

However, Brownlee’s hot start was short-lived. Penalties and poor coverage became major issues throughout his brief time on the field. In just seven games (two starts), Brownlee committed eight penalties and coughed up 229 receiving yards on completions into his coverage.

Going into 2026, Brownlee is a polarizing piece for the Jets’ defense. He offers some of the best tenacity and tackling of any defensive back on the roster, but his struggles with penalties and coverage were too egregious to be overlooked. With that said, he is only entering his third season, so he could still develop.

Is Brownlee a legitimate threat to Ponds in the slot? Or will the second-round rookie run away with the job?

In the latest episode of Blewett’s Blitz, we answer all of those questions and more in a full film review of Jarvis Brownlee’s 2025 season, seen below.