The New York Jets signed safety Dane Belton to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million.
Belton joins a revamped safety room in East Rutherford that also includes Minkah Fitzpatrick. The veteran defensive back should solve an issue that doomed the Jets defense last season.
Belton has registered six interceptions in 66 career appearances. The former Iowa standout is an expert at generating turnovers. Fans will remember that the Jets became the first defense in NFL history (since 1933) to record zero interceptions last year.
The former fourth-round pick has notched 240 career tackles and four sacks to go along with four fumbles forced and four fumbles recovered. Jets fans should be particularly excited about Belton’s wrap-up tackling ability. That was an issue that plagued the defense a year ago.
Belton had the lowest missed tackle percentage (4.1) among all safeties to play at least 400 snaps in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. Belton was credited with missing just four tackles last year. By comparison, Malachi Moore missed 11 tackles last season, and Tony Adams and Andre Cisco missed nine apiece.
No Jets safety had a missed tackle rate under 10%. Cisco’s was 18.4, Isaiah Oliver’s was 16%, and Adams’ was 15.5. Belton’s 4.1% missed tackle percentage will make him the Jets’ best-tackling safety in 2026.
Dane Belton brings something the Jets have been severely lacking at safety for a long time: He’s a sure tackler.
Had the lowest missed tackle percentage (4.1) among all safeties to play at least 400 snaps, per PFF. https://t.co/3PvMglhZUI
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) March 9, 2026
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Dane Belton addition should help correct a 2025 Jets issue
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