Jets general manager Joe Douglas did not wait for cutdown weekend to make a much-needed move at cornerback.
Douglas swung a trade with the Colts on Wednesday for third-year cornerback Nate Hairston. The Jets are sending a sixth-round pick to Indianapolis in the deal, which is pending a physical.
Hairston was a fifth-round pick of the Colts in 2017. He has played in 27 games, starting 11 over the past two seasons, with one career interception.
Hairston, 25, has battled injuries — hamstring and ankle injuries and a concussion have all cost him time. He is viewed by scouts primarily as a backup who is better in zone coverage.
The Jets desperately needed to upgrade their depth at cornerback behind starters Trumaine Johnson, Darryl Roberts and Brian Poole. They had mostly inexperienced players behind them. Hairston gives them a legitimate backup and an option if one of the starters struggles.
Assistant general manager Rex Hogan had been in the Colts front office for the past two seasons as their vice president of player personnel so he surely gave the Jets a thorough scouting report on Hairston.
This certainly won’t be the last move Douglas makes at the position. Teams must cut their rosters to 53 players by Saturday afternoon and the Jets are expected to be active on the waiver wire.
Rookie outside linebacker Jachai Polite has had a quiet camp. The third-round pick has looked like he is playing slow sometimes, perhaps because he is thinking too much as he tries to pick things up.
Coach Adam Gase was asked about Polite this week and did not give him a ringing endorsement.
“I think sometimes, at that position, the way we play it the big thing for us is setting the edge, making sure we’re doing a good job in the run game,” Gase said. “As far as pass rushing goes, it’s about applying pressure to the quarterback. It might not come out as sacks.
I think there’s been some good and there’s been some times where we get him running around the quarterback and that’s what we want to avoid doing. We just got to keep cleaning up his technique. I know those guys were working hard at it, that whole room, of trying to play things exactly how [defensive coordinator Gregg Williams] wants it played.”