For the New York Jets, the safety position has been a moving target. The Jets have employed eight different safeties this season as a result of anticipated starters Lamarcus Joyner and Marcus Maye finishing their 2021 seasons with a combined seven starts (1 for Joyner, 6 for Maye), before suffering season-ending injuries.
The majority of those safety measures have fought valiantly to avoid costly errors. Six reserve safeties for New York have combined to miss 12 tackles while providing coverage for 535 yards and three scores.
When aiming for a backup Jets safety, opposing passers average 14.9 yards per target as opposed to 8.1 yards per target for any other Jets defender.
The Jets’ only reserve safety who has been able to limit the mistakes is Elijah Riley, a resident of Long Island.
The West Point, New York resident attended the United States Military Academy, where he excelled for four years as a member of the Army Black Knights. Riley joined the Eagles in 2020 as an undrafted free agent.
Riley first encountered Darrelle Revis at a Jets training camp practice when he was 12 years old, per the Eagles’ 2021 media guide.
He is now continuing Revis’ legacy as a trustworthy member of the Jets’ secondary.
On November 9, Riley was acquired by the Jets from the Eagles’ practice squad. Twelve days later, he was added to the active roster and immediately thrust into the starting free safety position for the team’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
Riley had never even managed a substantial chunk of playing time as a backup before that afternoon, let alone started a regular-season game. Riley’s career included just four defensive plays until he signed with the Jets.
Riley pleased the Jets enough to get a second straight start against the Houston Texans after playing 64 snaps (89% of the defensive plays) in his starting debut against Miami.
How Much Does Elijah Riley Make?
Elijah Riley makes an average of $695,000 per year. Riley’s base salary in 2022 will be $895,000. His cap hit will also be $895,000.