Finished on Injured Reserve: McDougald, Davis, Jackson, Hampton

No Longer With Team: Christian

Potential Unrestricted FAs in 2021: Maye, McDougald, Farley, Jackson

'21: A New Deal
There's potential for a new-look-safeties room because three of the four players who received at least one snap at the position in the 2020 season have expiring contracts.

Jets General Manager Joe Douglas, however, said that an offseason priority is re-signing S Marcus Maye, the 2020 Curtis Martin Team MVP. Other than Maye, the only player under contract who took at least one snap on defense in the 2020 season was the rookie Ashtyn Davis.

Davis started six games after an impressive training camp. He first sat behind Maye and Bradley McDouglad, but was the next man up once McDougald went down. Davis' first start was the equivalent to baptism by fire as he faced Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. He settled in nicely after that game and flashed at times, particularly with his speed and striking. Davis, who was drafted in the third round in 2020, finished the season with a 90 tackle grade, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked fourth among safeties. He finished with 36 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD and 1 FR.

The safety position group could undergo reconstruction if Maye and the Green & White cannot come to an agreement.

'20: Quick Look Back
When Jamal Adams was traded to the Seahawks before training camp in July, all eyes shifted to Maye, who was drafted with Adams in 2017. Maye had his most productive season, was named a team captain and was named team MVP as voted on by the players. He led the Green & White with 1,137 snaps and set career highs in tackles (88), TFLs (4), sacks (2), pass defenses (11), forced fumbles (2) and fumble recoveries (1). His 2 INTs tied a career high. He started the season playing closer to the line of scrimmage before switching back to his role as a centerfielder, which is more what he played in his first three seasons.

McDougald, whom the Jets received in the trade with the Seahawks, started the year next to Maye before he was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 31 with a shoulder injury. He started 7 games with the Jets and had 36 tackles, 3 PDs and 1 FR.

The Jets' safeties were one of the most injured position groups on the team. Davis and McDouglad, two starters, finished the season on injured reserve along with Bennett Jackson and Saquan Hampton. CB Arthur Maulet ended up starting three games at S and led the team with 3 PDs in Week 16's win over the Browns at MetLife Stadium. It was also the most PDs by a Jets defender in a single game in the 2020 season. Maulet also has an expiring contract.

Matthias Farley was predominantly a special-teams player and was a voted a special-teams captain. His 310 ST snaps were the second-most on the team behind TE Daniel Brown. Farley started two games for Jets, had 24 tackles, 1 QB hit and 3 PDs on 199 snaps on defense.

Trivia
Marcus Maye's stat line for 2020 was crisp: 2 interceptions, 2.0 sacks, 52 solo tackles, 11 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles. Maye finished the season as the only NFL defender with at least 2 INTs, 2.0 sacks, 10 PDs and 2 forced fumbles, and he's the only Jets defender to reach those multiple metrics since S Kerry Rhodes in 2006 and '07.