The retooling of the Jets’ defense, and specifically the secondary, brought three new defensive backs to the team in the first wave of free agency and via a trade — cornerback Nahshon Wright, and safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick (in a deal with Miami) and Dane Belton.
Wright, 27, was stellar last year in his “prove it” season with the Bears. He signed a one-year contract with Chicago after being traded and spending most of the 2024 season on Minnesota’s practice squad. He was a third-round selection of the Cowboys in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oregon State.
In the Windy City, Wright (6-4, 199) appeared in all 17 regular-season games (16 starts), had 11 PDs, 5 INTs (tied for the league lead among CBs), 2 FFs and 3 FR. Those 8 total takeaways were the most in the NFL last season. Wright was the NFC Defensive Player of Month for November after coming up with 5 takeaways in 5 games and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his five-year NFL career. If those numbers weren’t enough, Wright also had 80 total tackles (56 solo).