Jets' Belton Praised by Glenn for Versatility in Mid-Game Position Switch
Cornerback Dane Belton seamlessly transitioned to safety and nickel roles during the Jets' Week 1 victory over the Titans, earning accolades from coach Aaron Glenn.
New York Jets defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn has highlighted cornerback Dane Belton's adaptability following the team's season-opening 23-10 win against the Tennessee Titans. Belton stepped into multiple roles in the secondary due to injuries, impressing coaches with his quick adjustments.
Following an early injury to Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first quarter, Belton was moved to strong safety, with Andre Cisco taking over at free safety. Later in the game, Belton shifted again to play the nickel cornerback position after Jarvis Brownlee Jr. sustained an injury.
Belton described the changes as a situation requiring "spur of the moment understanding" where his responsibilities shifted based on game circumstances. He expressed comfort and confidence in his ability to adapt, noting that he has played various positions throughout his career, including nickel in college and in-the-box roles in the NFL. Belton emphasized that he had worked on these different roles during the spring and training camp, which prepared him to "plug and play" where needed.
"I wasn’t sitting there, like worried or uncomfortable. It’s something that I felt very comfortable doing, something I’ve done all my career in the league and also going back to college," Belton stated. "I played mostly nickel in college. I played in the box a lot. It was a position I worked on in the spring and in training camp."
The Jets will be without Fitzpatrick for an upcoming stretch of games, posing a challenge for the secondary that relied on his experience. Glenn expressed confidence in the team's depth, pointing to players like Cisco, who has significant NFL experience, and Belton.
"We have other experienced guys on our team, too," Glenn said. "That’s the good thing about our team right now and those guys have to step up. I mean, Cisco’s played a lot of football in this league and he’s been a damn good player in this league. Dane, as we talked about, how impressed I was that he can come in and he can play basically the same role that Minkah had of being able to play the big nickel, playing safety. He’s an impressive player. Intelligent, smart, and he can take up that slack."