For the first time in his NFL career, D'Angelo Ponds took the field for the Jets in Week 3.
After missing out on all of training camp with an injury and working his way back through the first two weeks , Ponds was able to see the field. It may have been only two defensive plays in dime defense and two special teams plays, but it's all the same.
Ponds has found himself back on an NFL field.
"(D'Angelo is) getting better and better each week," Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. "He's doing a good job for us, and each week I think he's getting better and better in understanding exactly what we're doing."
For a second-round pick, though, Ponds receiving only a handful of snaps isn't always the best look. Will more snaps be on the horizon for the Indiana product? Glenn seems as unsure about that answer as anyone.
He's playing nickel, and he's playing outside corner. We had a couple of packages for him to be in there, and obviously, those packages didn't really come to life as much as we probably wanted it to, but each week and every day, he's getting better and better for us.
The unfortunate side for Ponds so far this season is the fact that he's stuck behind quality starters at each cornerback spot for the Jets. Jarvis Brownlee has been one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league ( currently ranked ninth out of all CBs by Pro Football Focus ), while Brandon Stephens and AZ Thomas both look solid through the first few weeks.
Ponds may be 5-foot-8, but he's cross-trained for all roles, so he doesn't really have a set spot for him to see the field.
Still, New York should expect more reps for Ponds in the coming weeks. He was one of the most accomplished corners in college football and deserves to get a chance to show what he can do on the field. But if it means taking off a cornerback who has played well, it may not be worth it for the Jets.
And that's why it comes down to Ponds more than anyone else .
The best opportunity for Ponds to play right now will be if an injury happens to one of New York's starting corners. None of the Brownlee-Stephens-Thomas trio are playing poorly enough to warrant a benching at this point.
The Jets' cornerback room, especially Jarvis Brownlee, has exceeded expectations this season, making it hard for D'Angelo Ponds to find playing time. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Glenn was adamant when speaking to reporters after Sunday's game: it doesn't matter where a player is drafted; the amount of reps he sees will be based on his performance in practice.
"When it comes to playing time, I'm always going to say you have to earn that," Glenn said. "Nothing is given to any player on this team. You have players playing now that's fighting to continue to play."
Even in the Jets' latest loss, it felt like their corners actually performed admirably. Amon-Ra St. Brown recorded just four receptions for 19 yards. Jameson Williams recorded four catches for 49 yards. It was hardly the dominant showing normally seen from that duo.
So why would the Jets sit any of their starters right now? Ponds can perform in practice as well, or as hard as he wants, but until an injury happens, the role many envisioned for him simply isn't there.
And it might not be there this season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jets/onsi as Jets Address D'Angelo Ponds's Sparse Week 3 Usage (Here's What to Expect Moving Forward) .
