Jets’ Marcus Maye wants to be elite safety like Jamal Adams

While Jamal Adams soared, Marcus Maye barely got off the ground.

The Jets had high hopes for their two young safeties at this time last year, seeing them as the linchpin of their defense. Adams reached those expectations. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and was named the team’s MVP in his second season. Maye, however, only appeared in six injury-plagued games.

After shoulder surgery, he spent the rest of the season as a talented cheerleader, thrilled to see his close friend thrive, but also itching to perform himself.

“He deserves everything he’s gotten, but I feel I belong right there with all [the best safeties],” Maye told The Post this week as the Jets prepared for their showdown with the Browns at MetLife Stadium on Monday night. “I just have to go out and prove it, play to the best of my ability.”

Last Sunday, the third-year safety out of Florida began to show off that potential to the Jets’ new coaching staff. Maye received a 92.3 grade from Pro Football Focus, second among safeties who recorded at least 25 snaps, in a 17-16 loss to the Bills. He had four tackles, a pass defensed and an interception, though that was negated by a Darryl Roberts penalty.

“Long time coming,” he said with a smile. “I got out there and it felt good. Just got to keep going now.”

That’s not to say Maye was thrilled with the performance. There was some rust. When he watched film with Adams, they agreed there was plenty the duo didn’t do well enough. Adams missed a sack; Maye dropped an interception. The Jets lost by a point.

“We talked to each other: Those are the plays we have to make,” said Maye, who appeared in 16 games as a rookie, when he was fourth on the Jets with 76 tackles and added a pair of interceptions. “Those are the plays we can’t let get by us, because those are big game-changing plays. When those opportunities do come, we’ve got to make the best of them.”

Adams smiled when asked how it felt to have Maye back there with him. They came into the league together and planned to develop side by side. After spending so much time without his running mate last season, Adams missed him, frequently saying how much value Maye would add upon his return.

“It was exciting to have him back out there flying around,” Adams said. “He’s always been like that. He’s always been a ballplayer.”

Maye obviously missed being out there, too. Rehab became tiresome, like he was on a road without an end in sight. Every day could feel the same. His mind would take over, frustration setting in.

“You can get into your head, by just watching, just constantly being in the training room,” he said.

Maye has taken precautions to avoid further injury. He has refined his diet and is trying to spend more time in the weight room. He wants to play well, of course, but just being on the field is so important this season.

“That’s always the main thing in our sport, just being healthy. Being available,” he said. “I’m doing whatever I can to prevent [those] things from happening.”

Maye admitted this is a big year for him. He needs to stay on the field and prove himself. So far, he has gotten off to his desired start.