Nahshon Wright Is Starting to Lose Ground in CB Battle at Jets Camp

The offseason acquisition is locked in a battle with Azareye'h Thomas.

Jul 29, 2026; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) warms up during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Considering the Jets became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without recording a single interception in 2025, the secondary was a major area of focus entering the offseason.

In addition to bringing in notable defenders like linebacker Demario Davis, defensive tackle David Onyemata, defensive end Joseph Ossai, edge Kingsley Enagbare and safety Dane Belton, the Jets may have fooled the entire league when they signed cornerback Nahshon Wright to a one-year, $5.5 million contract ($3.5 million fully guaranteed).

After all, Wright is coming off his best season to date with the Chicago Bears with five of his six career interceptions occurring last season. Still, he will have to prove himself all over again and show that last season was no fluke after allowing 816 yards on 60 completions (98 targets) and six touchdowns in 2025.

If Wright is going to become the starter at CB, it will take everything he has got to fend off a challenge from second-year player Azareye'h Thomas, whose physicality at the line of scrimmage and confidence on the outside made it difficult on opposing QBs during his rookie season.

Speed is still a major flaw in his game after repeatedly getting burned by wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in one-on-one drills at Tuesday's training camp practice, but Thomas has a lot to offer and continues to put some increased pressure on Wright for the starting position.

Nahshon Wright still has work to do in tight CB battle with Azareye'h Thomas

Notably, Thomas and Wright were both listed as the No. 2 CB on the team's first depth chart of the summer. Wright has also been sidelined with a minor injury at camp over the last few days, allowing Thomas a wider stage to display his talents.

Cornerbacks Nahshon Wright and D'Angelo Ponds on rehab field during Wednesday's Jets practice. This is why you need good cornerback depth. Both should both be back soon, but this position gets dinged a lot with all the running and hitting required. pic.twitter.com/TzcEeEsFys

— Dan Leberfeld (@jetswhispers) August 20, 2026

While Wright showcased his ability to create takeaways and get stops with 11 pass deflections, five interceptions (one returned for a TD), three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles last season, Pro Football Focus only gave him the 54th-ranked coverage grade (63.4) and 23rd-ranked run-defense grade (72.9) out of 114 qualified CBs.

The run-defense grade is encouraging and there is certainly a lot of upside with Wright despite the improvements he still needs to make in coverage. This is someone who was primarily a depth piece prior to last season and was still looking to make a name for himself after recording just 37 total tackles in his first three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, but he did offer some encouragement with his "versatility and anticipation" at minicamp.

That said, Thomas presents a lot of upside as well. The 2025 third-rounder out of Florida State only made five starts in 12 appearances during his rookie season, but he compiled 22 total tackles, seven pass deflections and two tackles for loss. He also had a 48.1 completion percentage when targeted and allowed one TD, all while possessing an 83.9 passer rating.

New York Jets cornerback Azareye'h Thomas (23) defends as Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) attempts a catch during a game at MetLife Stadium, Oct 19, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Thomas' subpar PFF grades in coverage (55.5) and run defense (52.2) from last season are not eye-opening by any means, but he also missed one game due to a concussion and was placed on injured reserve during the final month of the regular season with a shoulder injury, so he did not exactly have a full body of work, either.

Thomas has returned to the field with a vengeance this offseason, notching several pass breakups in training camp and showing that he is not overwhelmed should his role increase in Year 2 and is ready to bounce back from his injury.

Brandon Stephens is expected to be the starter on the right side of the secondary after signing a three-year, $36 million contract last offseason, but Wright and Thomas are definitely in a battle opposite of Stephens with only two weeks of preseason football remaining.

There is no denying that Wright is coming off a career season, but he continues to lose the advantage he once had over Thomas and could be overtaken by him depending on how the rest of the preseason goes.