During the New York Jets’ Monday Night Football loss to the Cleveland Browns, cornerback Trumaine Johnson not only didn’t start the game, but barely saw any action in the game, only playing in the fourth quarter after Nate Hairston was injured. It’s been an odd start to the year for Johnson, and Jets head coach Adam Gase’s comments on the matter didn’t seem to offer any extra insight.
Speaking to the media following the game (via Jets Wire) Gase said that Johnson wasn’t benched for any bad behavior issues, and that the team simply decided not to use him. ”We just decided not to play him,” Gase said, offering no further explanation.
Following the game, Johnson was asked why he thought he was benched, but the cornerback also didn’t have an idea as to why. According to him, he was at practice every day this past week, playing with the starters, and that he expected to play as he arrived at the stadium. Johnson then added that he isn’t seeking a trade and does want to be on the Jets.
After signing Johnson to a $72.5 million deal two years ago, the cornerback hasn’t exactly lived up to the deal. After an average 2018 that saw Johnson benched for a game after missing a meeting, it now seems that he isn’t in the good graces of his new coach either.
It’s possible that the Jets simply didn’t trust Johnson to contain the likes of Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., but when your top cornerback can’t be counted on in those scenarios, it isn’t great.
How much Johnson plays going forward is going to be an interesting thing to watch, especially with the Jets set to face off against Antonio Brown and the New England Patriots next week in another game that could get out of hand for the Jets.
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