Entering this season, one of the strongest areas the New York Jets could point to on their roster was the safety position. The 2017 NFL draft brought playmakers Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye in the first two rounds. Both players enjoyed excellent rookie campaigns and were looking forward to continuing their success this season.
In the preseason, Maye went down with a foot injury and missed the first three games of the season. In his absence, Doug Middleton played alongside Adams in the secondary. When Maye returned in Week 4 against the Jaguars, Middleton went back to being a reserve.