Kyle Wilson Cannot Even Crack A Makeshift New York Jets Secondary

The New York Jets have had their fair share of first round busts over the years. Names such as Blair Thomas, Vernon Gholston and Dewayne Robertson have conjured up enough bad memories amongst the fan base, but another is the latest to be added to that infamous list and that is Kyle Wilson.

The cornerback was selected as the 20th overall player in the 2010 NFL Draft and was considered one of the best available at his position. Wilson enjoyed a decorated college career at Boise State and was named to the All-WAC First Team Defense in both 2008 and 2009. The Piscataway, New Jersey native was also a dangerous kick and punt returner.

But the one constant for Wilson at the next level has been getting consistently beat in coverage.

It has become so bad that the coaching staff has even started cornerbacks picked up off the scrap heap than entrusting Wilson with the job. It is one thing when the likes of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Dee Milliner are ahead of you on the depth chart. But when Marcus Williams – a rookie undrafted free agent that was activated from the practice squad before last week’s game versus the Chiefs – gets the nod, that says volumes about Wilson.

Rex Ryan has seen his secondary go though a musical chairs-like transition and the fact that he has even had to go to war with a player of Williams’s caliber shows once again how bad a job general manager John Idzik did addressing this position. But the Jets head coach spoke positively of the young man who will be facing two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in his second professional start.

"Marcus is a kid that really jumped out on the practice field, when he was on the scout team. He did things where you say, ‘This kid deserves a shot.’ He earned a starting job [in Kansas City]. We tried to bring in guys that would elevate the position. And we’re going to keep looking and if there’s somebody [sic] out there that we think can help our football team and improve our football team, then we’re going to bring him in."

No offense to Williams, but when you invest a first round pick in a player, he should at least be trusted enough to take over when the cupboard is bare. Wilson has seen the field as a nickel back but he has not even been given a sniff at one of the corners.

Wilson’s production has been almost non-existent since he was exposed after being thrust into a starting spot following Revis’s knee injury in 2012. He started 15 games that season and had only one interception, four passes defended and 48 total tackles. A year ago, the 5’10”, 190-pound Wilson started one game and had 24 tackles. In the current season, he has not started a game and has 21 tackles.

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On special teams, Wilson had a rough start in his rookie campaign with two fumbles on punt returns and has only been on those units sparingly since then and not at all in 2014.

By Ryan admitting that they are still looking outside of the organization to fill a position that has been their Achilles heel since the preseason, then it may be time for the Jets and Wilson to go their separate ways after the season.

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