With Aaron Glenn, former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator, now stepping into the role of head coach for the New York Jets, there’s growing speculation about which Lions players might follow him to the Big Apple.
One player who could make the move is cornerback Carlton Davis, who had an impressive first season with the Lions before an unfortunate fractured jaw cut his campaign short. As Davis heads into free agency in 2025, his future is up in the air.
Meanwhile, the Jets are preparing to lose one of their starting boundary cornerbacks, D.J. Reed, who has made it clear he’s ready for a new chapter. In an interview with Tyler Dunne of Go Long, Reed expressed, “I’m ready to go to free agency, bro. I’m ready to see what’s next for me.”
With Reed’s departure, the Jets will need to find a new cornerback to partner with Sauce Gardner and Michael Carter. USA TODAY’s Nick Brinkerhoff is predicting that Davis could be the answer. Brinkerhoff also foresees Reed heading to Detroit but specifically highlighted Davis’ fit with the Jets, saying, “With Reed heading out of town to Detroit in our scenario, the door is open for a new cornerback to emerge in the Meadowlands. Davis thrived in Glenn’s scheme last season in Detroit, making him the perfect player to follow the coach to the Jets.”
Both Davis and Reed are 28 years old and had similar coverage stats in 2025. Reed allowed completions on 57.1% of targets, with a passer rating of 87.1. Davis, on the other hand, gave up 55.3% completions and a passer rating of 77.1, showcasing that both could seamlessly fill each other’s roles.
However, Davis’ injury history remains a concern. Despite winning a Super Bowl, he has never played more than 14 games in a season and hasn’t reached 13 games since 2020.
As for his free-agent market value, Spotrac estimates Davis could sign a three-year deal worth $41.3 million, equating to an annual salary of $13.8 million.
But with the Jets facing multiple roster needs and only $20.9 million in cap space, they might hesitate to offer that kind of money to a No. 2 cornerback. They may opt for a more budget-friendly solution in free agency or the draft.
Even so, Davis would be an excellent fit for the Jets’ defense under Glenn’s guidance, and if the head coach is determined, we could see New York make a serious push for him in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing situation.
