Jets $36 Million Man Lands Wild — And Incorrect Take

With all of the chatter about there, you would think that we were in December or January. But, alas, it is just Week 3 right now in the National Football League.

Two games have been played by each team, including the New York Jets. For the Jets, it hasn't been a good start. The Jets are 0-2 after losses against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills. The Week 1 loss actually got the Jets a lot of praise for the way that they were able to play against a tough defense in Pittsburgh. Despite the loss, the vibes were pretty high coming out of the game. But, that all came crashing down after the Jets' 30-10 Week 2 loss against the Bills.

If you go scrolling, you'll see that it seems like the sky is falling and there have been some wild takes out there. Including, FanSided's Michael Haney suggesting that cornerback Brandon Stephens is "fighting for his job" and should be benched after two weeks.

It's too early to make any massive changes

Sep 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) celebrates after breaking up a play in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

"The cornerback was awful in Week 1, allowing five catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns. He looked lost in coverage, getting completely outmatched by a mediocre Steelers receiver group," Haney said. "While Stephens wasn't quite as shaky in Week 2, he didn't do enough to keep his starting job safe. He failed to make any impact plays in coverage, once again allowing catches on the majority of passes thrown his way. But his most egregious mishap came in run defense. On a James Cook run in the second quarter, the cornerback took a terrible pursuit angle that ended up proving costly.

"Cook broke free from a Quincy Williams tackle, bouncing the run back to the outside. Stephens was immediately beaten, giving up a 44-yard touchdown run that put the Bills up by 20 points. The play didn't end up being crucial to the result of the game, but the former Ravens DB's pursuit and effort were questionable enough to have fans calling for him to be benched. Heading into Week 3, his starting spot is already at risk."

The idea behind it isn't wrong. Stephens hasn't had the start to the season he hoped for. But, he's just 27 years old and Aaron Glenn and the team in general have spoken highly about him since his deal. He had a strong summer and just signed a three-year, $36 million deal just a few months ago. That's a big enough deal to buy you some time, even if you are struggling out of the gate. He was better Week 2 than he was Week 1. He's not going anywhere anytime soon unless something shocking happens.

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