The Jets, who have already added six (!) players on defense since yesterday morning, added another on the second day of free agency. This time at a new position, though, as the Jets have agreed to terms with former Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright. The deal is for 1 year and is worth up to $5.5 million.
BREAKING: The #Jets are signing former #Bears Pro Bowl CB Nahshon Wright to a 1-year deal worth up $5.5M per sources.
Wright had a massive season last year with 5 INTs, 11 PBUs, 2 FF, 3 FR and 80 tackles. pic.twitter.com/zPHcW7amKU
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 10, 2026
Wright’s Skillset Perfectly Matches what the Jets Need
There may not be a better fit for Nahshon Wright in the league than the New York Jets. The reasoning – turnover potential. In just one season for the Bears, Wright had five interceptions, 7 pass break-ups, and two forced fumbles. That interception number would be five more than the entire Jets roster last season. It’s easy to see how sorely needed this type of player was needed for the Jets. He also just has a knack for being near the ball as well, as he had 70 tackles from the cornerback position in 2025. That was good for 4th on the Bears roster. His play was so impactful, in fact, that he earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in his career.
An Important Negative
As great as generating more turnovers sounds, Nahshon Wright does have a critical flaw to his game. A cornerback’s responsibility is to cover the other team’s wide receivers. This, unfortunately, is something that Wright struggled with in 2025. He allowed a whopping 800 yards in coverage as the nearest defender last season, according to PFF. This was the 4th most in football. Things could become problematic if he were to start. The good thing for the Jets is they may not need him to cover any of the marquee wideouts in the league, as they already have talent at cornerback. Brandon Stephens was solid in 2025, despite some skepticism from his time in Baltimore. They also have a budding talent in Azareye’h Thomas. If that’s not enough for Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey, they also have 4 picks in the top 45 at their disposal in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Overall Thoughts
The Jets made out very well here. Nahshon Wright is far from a perfect player, but he could help the Jets in an area in which they really need it. The price tag is great, also, as Wright was projected upwards of $16 million per year on a new contract. That would have been an insane overpay, so the Jets being able to get him at a reasonable price is very important. This price tag should reflect the idea that he won’t be a starter for the Jets as well. Given the aforementioned struggles in coverage, this is ideal. However, Aaron Glenn has shown before that he can fix these heavily targeted cornerbacks in the past with Brandon Stephens. Perhaps, he can work some magic here as well and make that $5.5 million price tag that much more valuable. Overall, another solid move by Darren Mougey and Co., with hopefully more to come.
Main Photo: [Dan Powers/USA Today Network-Wisconsin] – Imagn Images