Jets head coach Adam Gase has added Leigh Torrence to his coaching staff as the team's new assistant defensive backs coach.
Torrence comes to the Green & White from the New Orleans Saints. He was a coaching intern for the 2016 Saints and in '17 was promoted to defensive assistant coach for the team.
Torrence's coaching career comes after an NFL playing career during which he was a cornerback with five teams from 2005-11.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford by Green Bay after the 2005 draft. He was a final cut that September but was acquired on waivers by Atlanta and played 10 games for the 2005 Falcons.
Washington was next to add Torrence to their roster. He played 25 games in 2007 and '08 and made his only pro start, against the Giants at MetLife Stadium in '07.
Torrence then got his longest playing stint with New Orleans, with 31 games, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, for the Saints from 2009-11. He made offseason stops with the Redskins again and with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012 before eventually entering coaching.
With the Jets, Torrence will work with Dennard Wilson, the Jets' passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach. He replaces Steve Jackson, who was the Jets' assistant DBs coach before accepting the position of cornerbacks coach with the Cincinnati Bengals last month.
