Brandon Stephens Given New Chance to Impress Jets in Wake of AJ Brown Trade

One position group that was at the forefront for the New York Jets entering the offseason was the cornerback room, especially considering that the Jets became the first team in league history without a single interception in a season.

The Jets went out and got former Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright to pair alongside the returning Brandon Stephens, who entered offseason team activities (OTAs) with a chance to change his narrative after a disappointing 2025 season.

Stephens has only two career interceptions, but he had the fourth-most tackles (73) on the Jets roster last season following a three-year, $36 million contract before the season. With the New England Patriots landing star wide receiver A.J. Brown on Monday, Stephens could be tasked with covering the veteran wideout.

Stephens has rarely seen Brown in his career, allowing one reception on two targets for nine yards. With that said, his performance against Brown this season could go a long way toward helping the defense and changing the narrative about himself.

Jets need Brandon Stephens to have a bounce back 2026 season

Stephens certainly fell short of expectations in 2025, but his good start to OTAs is something to note and suggests that a bounce back season could be in store. According to Jets on SI's Nick Faria, who was at Tuesday's OTAs, "Stephens played like the best defensive player on the field for New York."

Faria also noted that both Wright and Stephens "played like lockdown players throughout the day" and that "both will be needed to provide consistent play all year, but Tuesday was a sign that the group should be confident heading into training camp."

While Wright has struggled to contain Brown before, including four receptions for 69 yards and one TD allowed in a Week 13 meeting last season, there is not enough history to suggest how Stephens will perform one way or another if he is primarily matched up with Brown.

With Brown joining the Patriots, the Jets' secondary will be tested even more, facing him twice each season. Even though Brown had his fewest receiving yards since the 2021 season, he still had 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven TDs in 2025. It is also important to note that he accomplished that on an Eagles offense that ranked 23rd in passing yards per game (192.8), further highlighting the challenge that could be ahead for the Jets corners.

Last season, the Jets were outscored, 69-24, by the Patriots, who released leading receiver Stefon Diggs earlier in the offseason. Now with Brown joining the fold with quarterback Drake Maye and an offense that averaged the eighth-most points per game (26.5) in 2025 and completely had its way with the Jets last season, Stephens must face this opportunity head-on as he looks to build from his OTAs performance and back up his three-year deal.

That said, Stephens did not exactly deliver the type of performance expected of someone with that big of a contract.

However, Pro Football Focus gave him the 38th-best overall grade (67) out of 114 qualified CBs. Additionally, his coverage grade (63) was ranked 56th, and his run defense grade (75.5) ranked 18th, showing the potential is there and why his performance against Brown could be huge for this defense and his future.

Even if Stephens cannot completely shut down Brown, which is likely given the veteran WR's talent, the ultimate goal should be limiting his production and forcing Maye to search for other options down the field who are less proven or offer less playmaking ability than Brown.

If Stephens can disrupt Brown and be more consistent throughout the season as the Jets navigate a difficult schedule, he has a great chance to change the narrative about himself and provide a rare bright spot to this defense.

However, if he is unable to respond after a subpar 2025 season and fails to contain Brown and the talented wideouts the Jets will be facing in 2026, the secondary questions will remain, and that three-year deal could come back to bite the Jets.

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