The New York Jets have been connected to an intriguing move for a former Buffalo Bills star.
The New York Jets have holes up and down the roster heading into NFL free agency, so they will have to search fire and wide for answers.
Fortunately, the Jets are absolutely loaded with cap space, so they have plenty of financial wiggle room to make some moves.
Because New York traded Sauce Gardner back at the deadline, cornerback has become a glaring area of need for the team, and Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor has identified an interesting name that just became available: Taron Johnson.
The Buffalo Bills released Johnson earlier in the week, and Nania feels that the Jets should pursue the former All-Pro.
"The Jets should immediately get his agent on the phone," Nania wrote. "It is always wise to pluck quality players from your division rivals when given the opportunity. Not only does it tilt the odds in your favor against a team you will see twice per year, but it also provides you with intel on that team’s schemes and strategies. Johnson is intimately familiar with how Buffalo operates after spending eight years in the organization."
Johnson was originally selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft and established himself as a full-time starter in his third season, when he registered 94 tackles, a sack, an interception and seven passes defended.
Taron Johnson. Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images.The Weber State product enjoyed a very successful run in Buffalo, earning a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2023 after finishing with 98 tackles, a sack, three forced fumbles and eight passes defended.
Johnson has certainly declined since then and was limited to just 25 games over his last couple of seasons due to injuries. In 2025, he totaled 57 tackles and four passes defended in 12 contests, managing a 66.8 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus.
The question is whether or not the intel Johnson would provide is worth what the Jets might have to pay the 29-year-old considering he is not close to the player he once during his prime.
This upcoming NFL Draft class is very deep at the cornerback position, and with New York being absolutely loaded with draft capital, it may be better off punting to next month to solve its problem in the secondary.
Either that, or the Jets should sign a younger, ascending cornerback rater than an aging, declining one like Johnson.
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