The Jets parted ways with a productive cornerback when DJ Reed signed with the Lions as a free agent last month and they moved quickly to find a new partner for Sauce Gardner in their secondary.
Brandon Stephens signed a three-year deal with the team after starting 37 games for the Ravens over the last two seasons. Four of those games came in the postseason, which is somewhere the Jets have not been since the 2010 season and Stephens said at a press conference from the team's offseason program that the knowledge of what it takes to win is "definitely something that I can bring to this team."
Stephens is also 6-1 while Gardner is 6-3 and he thinks that size will help make their partnership a fruitful one.
"I think it's going to be a hell of a combo," Stephens said, via the team's website. "You know, I'm excited for it. I think we're just going to make each other better. I'll be able to learn from him. He'll be able to learn from me. And so, I think it's going to be exciting. The length is everything for a DB. Size is everything, along with technique and whatnot. But I think there's not many in this league that have our size and I think that's to our advantage, whether that's in the passing game or in the run game. We have interchangeable parts on this defense."
Gardner was one of many Jets who had a lackluster 2024 season. The hope is that a new coach and new teammates like Stephens help set him and the entire team on a better path.
