Dealing with multiple injuries in the secondary, the New York Jets are signing versatile young defensive back Jordan Clark to their active roster.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported the news on Tuesday afternoon.
The Jets lost starting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to a groin injury early in the first quarter of their season opener. Reports indicate that Fitzpatrick is expected to be sidelined for 2-3 weeks.
Meanwhile, the Jets’ expected starter at slot corner, second-round rookie D’Angelo Ponds, missed the opener with a calf issue that plagued him throughout the summer. Ponds’ status for Week 2 is uncertain.
Clark, 25, joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in 2025, signing with the team’s practice squad after the preseason. He played in six games near the end of the season, recording nine total tackles. Defensively, the Jets deployed Clark at slot corner, while he also played 31 special teams snaps.
The rookie endured some expected growing pains in coverage. Across 100 coverage snaps, Clark allowed 16 of 20 passes in his direction to be completed for 140 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
In the 2026 preseason, Clark emerged as one of the Jets’ best players. Across three games, he recorded 14 tackles, including eight defensive stops. In coverage, Clark allowed just 49 yards across 14 targets, a paltry 3.5 yards per attempt.
Clark has exclusively played slot corner for the Jets across his appearances in both the preseason and the regular season. He is expected to provide depth at that position as the Jets work Ponds back into the fold.
It is also worth noting that Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who started in place of Ponds in Week 1, left the game with a calf injury. Brownlee returned and finished out the entire second half, completing a strong performance, but it remains to be seen if Brownlee is dealing with lingering effects from the injury.
