Report: Jets RB Joe McKnight could see time at DB vs. Steelers

For all the talk about Antonio Cromartie perhaps playing both offense and defense this year, New York actually might need some help from the offense in order to replace cornerback Darrelle Revis.

By Josh Katzowitz

Sep 15, 2012 at 10:50 am ET • 1 min read

McKnight could see some time on defense this week. (US Presswire)

For all the talk about Antonio Cromartie perhaps playing offense and defense this year -- didn’t somebody say he was the second-best receiver on the Jets? -- New York actually might need some help from the offense in order to replace injured cornerback Darrelle Revis.

As the New York Daily News writes, running back Joe McKnight, who lost out to Bilal Powell as the backup behind starter Shonn Greene, took snaps in practice this week at cornerback. It would be an effort to replace some of the snaps that Revis, who suffered a concussion last week vs. the Bills, will miss while he sits out the game.

McKnight didn’t play much on offense vs. Buffalo (only four snaps) while performing about half the time on special teams. But because the Jets are down to only four healthy cornerbacks (Cromartie, Kyle Wilson, Ellis Lankster and Isaiah Trufant), McKnight met with defensive coaches this week just in case he’s needed.

Especially against a Steelers receiving corps that has plenty of talent (Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, et al).

According to the Daily News, McKnight played in the secondary while in high school and was recruited to USC as a defensive back before then-coach Pete Carroll transformed him into a running back.

For the record, Cromartie played 59 snaps on defense (94 percent) last week, four on special teams (13 percent) and none on offense.

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