After a few stints with other teams, Anthony Brown, an ex-Cowboys starter, is signing with the New York Jets. Making a change at the Practice squad, the Jets will add Brown to the 16-man unit on the roster. The new acquisition comes from the Jets releasing Craig James to make room.
Adding Brown brings some experience to Gang Green’s secondary. The team announced Anthony’ Brown’s signing on its X account and cutting bait with James in a corresponding move.
Anthony Brown’s Background
Brown was on a two-week stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad after signing with them last summer. Before Pittsburgh, he joined the San Fransisco 49ers and was active in weeks five and eight before being released. He only played in 2 games with San Francisco and had three snaps on the special teams side of the ball. Brown has another chance to prove value on an NFL roster, joining Gang Green.
Despite a rough season and another year of offensive ineptitude, the Jets seek to turn things around and compete in the AFC East. Anthony Brown’s signing can pay off if he stays healthy and produces well at the cornerback position.
Anthony Brown, turning 30 on December 15, has nine career interceptions and five forced fumbles to his resume. He also has 324 tackles and 59 passes defended in his career as an NFL player. In a 2019 matchup against the Jets, Anthony Brown gave Dallas 21 snaps in the 24-22 loss, where Sam Darnold threw for 338 yards.
In the 2022 NFL season, Brown played 12 games for Dallas and recorded 42 tackles, one forced fumble, and seven pass defenses. He completed his four-year, $2.47 million contract before re-signing with Dallas for a three-year deal in 2020.
What About Craig James?
Craig James’s appearances for the Jets this year were only for two games and took 42 snaps for the team. James got into the league as an undrafted free agent to Minnesota two years after Dallas drafted Anthony Brown. Along with the Vikings, James has spent time with the Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia Eagles.
Coming out of Southern Illinois, James has 18 total regular season career tackles, two pass defenses, and one fumble recovery. His first season with the Jets came as a practice squad player, playing the cornerback position. One of his career highlights came against Ex-Packer star Aaron Rodgers in the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
In a week four Thursday Night Football game away, James made a game-changing play against the Packers in the game’s final minute.
When the Packers and Rodgers got within three yards for a game-tying touchdown, James got his hands on a quick slant, resulting in linebacker Nigel Bradham making an interception to get the 34-27 win. During his time with the Eagles, James made 14 appearances and played over 60 percent of snaps on special teams in the 2019 season.
What Can Brown Bring to the Jets?
Anthony Brown can bring his experience as a defensive back to the Jets. Even though he will hit 30 this month, Brown can still be a reliable player and bring some veteran knowledge to the Jets roster. Coming from some of the most historic and iconic franchises shows Brown’s experience and level of expectations. He can help the young defensive backs grow with his knowledge of the game and the fundamentals of the cornerback position.
Brown has a lot of experience playing the slot, with over 1,000 snaps, and on the outside, with over 2,000 snaps in the pros. In the coming weeks, Brown could make the jump to the active roster. The Jets had a workout with Brown back in late August. The workout didn’t end with a deal, but New York kept in touch with Brown afterward.
The Cowboys chose Anthony Brown as a sixth-rounder in the 2016 NFL draft. He spent his college days at Purdue University. Brown spent the first seven seasons with Dallas, playing 94 with 69 starts. The Cowboys chose to move from him after suffering an Achilles injury last year.
Jets Season Thus Far
The Jets are currently 3rd in the AFC East division, sitting at 4-7, two wins ahead of fellow rival New England Patriots. New York has lost its last four games to the Chargers, Raiders, Bills, and the Dolphins. Despite the fact they had some chances in tight games, things have been getting more dire on the offensive side of the ball.
There was some optimism after defeating Philadelphia and getting to 4-3 at one point in the season. Then, the Jets regressed and fell hard to the Chargers 27-6 on Monday Night Football. The loss led New York to its four-game losing streak and got hammered by the Miami Dolphins on Black Friday.
Brown joins two other corners on the practice squad, with fellow defensive backs Kalon Barnes and Tae Hayes. The Jets will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Metlife Stadium. Atlanta is coming off a nine-point win against their division rival New Orleans Saints.
The Jets seek to turn things around with their new acquisition and preparation against Atlanta on Sunday.
Main Photo: [Tim Heitman] – USA Today Sports
