Jets CB Nahshon Wright: High Upside for New York's No. 12 Player in 2026

The 12th-ranked player on our list of the 25 most important Jets is Nahshon Wright, who is a low-risk addition coming off a breakout 2025 season.

Expectations are high for the veteran cornerback ahead of Year 1 in Gotham. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensive players continue to be in the spotlight as our series of the top 25 most important Jets entering the 2026 season continues with cornerback Nahshon Wright, who comes in at No. 12.

Wright was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft by the Cowboys. After beginning his career there, Wright put together a breakout season with the Bears in 2025 before signing a one-year, $5.5 million contract ($3.5 million fully guaranteed) with the Jets back in March.

Although many question if he will be a one-hit wonder after last season, Wright had career-highs in total tackles (80), forced fumbles (two), fumble recoveries (three), passes defended (11) and interceptions (five), including one returned for a touchdown, giving the Jets a low-risk addition with some huge upside.

As he goes into the 2026 season, Wright needs to prove that last season was not an anomaly and that it was just a preview of what he can offer in Gang Green. But why does he land on our list here?

Why Nahshon Wright is so important

Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When you consider the Jets became the first team in league history without a single interception in a season, Wright's five interceptions with the Bears immediately stand out and point to him being ranked as highly as he is on our list.

Wright's Pro Football Focus grades also highlight the potential that exists when he is playing to his potential, and what he still has to offer if some further improvements are made. His overall grade (65.1) was 48th out of 114 qualified CBs, while also ranking 54th in coverage (63.4) and 23rd in run defense (72.9).

While Wright left a lot to be desired in his first three seasons, ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini noted that Wright is just the fourth player in the last 10 years with at least five picks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in a season, another example of why the Jets may have fooled the entire league when they signed him.

Wright was primarily a depth piece until last season in the Windy City, but he took some major strides with the Bears and provided a lot of optimism coming into 2026. For a Jets team that struggled immensely in the secondary one year ago, his importance cannot be understated if he can bring that same level of tenacity to this defense and create turnovers.

Nahshon Wright's strengths and weaknesses

Wright had his best NFL season to date with the Bears and offers significant upside for the Jets. As Jets OnSI's Nick Faria noted, Wright showed a lot of "versatility and anticipation" at minicamp, which were two areas the team has been lacking in the secondary recently.

While he excelled at takeaways last season, he struggled in pass coverage and will need to prove himself again to demonstrate he can build off his 2025 breakout performance. On top of that, Wright has not had much success in man coverage and failed to record more than 23 total tackles in a season before his arrival in the Windy City, but his 6-foot-4 frame and knack for reading opposing QBs are exactly what the Jets can use in the secondary.

Nahshon Wright is the disruptive force that the Jets needed in their secondary after last season's struggles. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Perhaps the most encouraging part for Wright is how he has performed in OTAs and minicamp, coming off a highly successful 2025 season. He still has some tools to refine, especially as he drops back into man coverage. With that said, the hope is that Wright can make the same plays he did for the Bears in Gang Green and elevate this secondary to the next level, proving that this was one of the better deals of the entire offseason.

What happens if Nahshon Wright gets hurt?

If Wright were to miss time due to injury, the attention would likely shift to 2025 third-round pick Azareye'h Thomas, who heated up this CB battle even more during minicamp. While he posted subpar Pro Football Focus grades in coverage (55.5) and run defense (52.2), Thomas also missed a game with a concussion and was placed on injured reserve for the final month of the regular season with a shoulder injury.

When he was healthy, Thomas recorded 22 total tackles, seven passes defended and two tackles for loss in 12 games, all while posting a 48.1 completion percentage when targeted and allowing only one TD. While Brandon Stephens and rookie D'Angelo Ponds join Wright as projected starters at corner, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Tre Brown, who has improved his roster chances with standout offseason play, are just part of the talented depth that exists at the position.

Wright's breakout 2025 season has him positioned as a starter in this secondary, but if he gets injured or struggles to build off last season's success, Thomas is likely his biggest threat at the moment.

Why we ranked Nahshon Wright here

While concerns remain about Wright, as many question whether last season was just a one-hit wonder, his productivity and ability to create turnovers are something this Jets team desperately needs this season, and why he finds himself in the top half of our rankings.

Nahshon Wright is more than deserving of his top-25 ranking before his Jets debut. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This season is more about Wright proving that last season showed what he is truly capable of and that he can bring that same level of consistency to the Jets. However, with Thomas right on his heels and a secondary that looks a lot better on paper than it did one season ago, Wright still needs to go out and prove himself amid the stiff competition.

If he does, this could turn out to be a home-run decision for the Jets to acquire him, even though other teams passed up on him. However, if the lack of production from Wright's first three seasons follows him to Gang Green, he will immediately be under immense pressure with plenty of other capable options around him.