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There are good days and bad days in the NFL, such is the duality of the league. Lamarcus Joyner, though, clearly had a bad day through no fault of his own. The safety suffered an injury that is expected to end his season early.
Considering Joyner was a big part of the Jets' secondary, they will need to make a move to fill that spot. Who's available? Unfortunately, the options at this time of year are quite limited. Here's a look at two possible options at safety and a longshot experiment.
Three options at safety to replace Lamarcus Joyner
#1 - Kenny Vaccaro
Kenny Vaccaro roughly split his eight-year career between the Titans and Saints. At 30 years old, he could sub in for Joyner and stick around as a backup for a number of years to come. Last season, Vaccaro had an unremarkable but useful season in which he earned a 60.6 PFF score.
Vaccaro would bring playoff experience to the table to help make up for a spotty 2020. He earned a 64.2 PFF grade in 2019, so there is not much hope for more than a boot-filler for Joyner.
#2 - Tre Boston
The dropoff from the best option in free agency to the second-best is drastic. While Kenny Vaccaro is a qualified option, Tre Boston would be a risky proposition.
2019 was a great year for him in which he had three interceptions and earned a 76.4 PFF grade. However, 2020 saw a big drop in production. He earned a 53.8 PFF score and managed a sole interception.
Tre Boston would essentially be a coin flip with the secondary on the line. That said, if Kenny Vaccaro is out of reach, Boston would be the next best option. Lastly, it should be clear immediately if Boston doesn't work out. If the experiment doesn't work out in the first few weeks, the Jets can release him and resume their search for Joyner's replacement.
#3 - Richard Sherman
Granted, Richard Sherman is a cornerback. That said, at 33 years old, he knows more about defense than nearly any player in the NFL. He may not be able to keep up with the NFL's best on every play, but he might be able to be repurposed as a safety. The Jets would get his knowledge and play recognition without giving him assignments he can't physically handle anymore.
Sherman spent the last few years working with Robert Saleh in San Francisco, so he already knows the system. The would-be safety also brings playoff experience to the table should the Jets find themselves playing in January.
Last season, Sherman earned a 67.7 PFF grade as a cornerback. As a replacement for Joyner, one would expect him to remain in that ballpark. Put simply, he has plenty of potential to be a great fit.
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