Malachi Moore Left in the Dust by Jets' Safety Competition

The New York Jets suffered a loss in their preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the real story lies in what we can learn from their depth chart. One player who caught our attention is Malachi Moore, a second-year safety out of Alabama.

In the game, Moore didn't take to the field until the third- and fourth-string players were brought in, which raises questions about his standing on the team's depth chart. This lack of playing time suggests that the coaching staff has narrowed down the competition at safety to Andre Cisco and Dane Belton.

Cisco, who has a year of experience under his belt, played with the starting defense on the Buccaneers' first possession, followed by Belton taking over when Fitzpatrick came off. Moore, on the other hand, remained on the sidelines until the backup players were brought in.

This development is disappointing for Moore, who had high expectations after a rookie season that saw him play in all 17 games and start 14 of them. He recorded 101 tackles but struggled with a Pro Football Focus grade of 58.9, ranking 72nd-best out of 98 qualified safeties.