Club doing emergency prep work with makeshift secondary

NEW YORK — Safety has been an unusually unsafe position for the shorthanded New York Jets this season.

Veterans, rookies and players coming in from other teams — or even off the street — have provided a revolving door of defensive backs trying to bolster the back end of coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s defense because of injuries and illnesses.

As of Thursday night, the Jets had just two healthy safeties listed on their active roster: Will Parks, who was claimed off waivers from Miami on Monday, and Kai Nacua, who was signed off San Francisco’s practice squad Thursday. Elijah Benton is also on the practice squad. The Jets host Jacksonville on Sunday.

“I could not tell you today who’s going to be the starting safeties,” Ulbrich said.

One option will likely be rookie Jason Pinnock, a fifth-round pick who starred at Windsor High School. He was drafted as a cornerback and has been mixed in lately at safety.

“He gives us a little bit of a guy that’s got a little bit of familiarity with what we’re doing, although the safety position is new to him,” Ulbrich said. “He probably has the most background with what we’re trying to get accomplished.”

Pinnock’s move from cornerback to free safety, Ulbrich said, wasn’t necessarily a matter of him not being productive at his natural position. “It was more of a thing where we asked our free safety position togo down and cover wide receivers, cover tight ends, so the man (coverage) ability for that position is paramount,” Ulbrich said. “So, it just made sense.”