Jets have risky plan to fix holes on defensive line
One of the main reasons the New York Jets were able to win seven games despite some of the worst QB play in the league and go on to lure a first ballot Hall of Famer to New York was the play of the defense. The Jets defense is headlined on the back end with […]
One of the main reasons the New York Jets were able to win seven games despite some of the worst QB play in the league and go on to lure a first ballot Hall of Famer to New York was the play of the defense.
The Jets defense is headlined on the back end with Defensive Rookie of the year Sauce Gardner and surprise free agent signing DJ Reed. But the heartbeat of a Robert Saleh defense comes from the front four.
The Jets used a variety of rotational role players along the front four to go along with All-Pro Quinnen Williams. The problem with using role players like that is they are usually on short, team-friendly deals that see the player jump to another team in search of more playing time and money after proving it.
We saw the Jets lose over 1,300 snaps along the defensive front alone this offseason. That is not easily replaced. The Jets signed Seattle cast-offs Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson to take some of those snaps, but it remains a hole on the defense.
Speaking with Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News, Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich plans to solve two problems at once: He plans to move a few of the plethora of guys he has on the outside to the inside.
Jonathan Franklin-Myers and Micheal Clemons were two he named, specifically.
This might seem like the perfect fix to the Jets problem, but it is short-sighted and fool-hearted. Very few players can simply bounce from one spot to another and be as effective. Guys have natural positions and to simply add or remove weight and expect guys to effectively play a different spot is naïve.
For example, look at former Jets first round pick Leonard Williams who came in to play DE in Rex Ryan’s 3-4 system. He was decent but never really a difference-maker. The Jets traded him to the cross-town New York Giants where they moved him inside to DT and he has blossomed into a disruptive pass rusher raking in 21 sacks over the last three years.
Part of the reason the Jets may need to shake things up on the defensive line is the presence of 15th overall pick in this year’s draft, Will McDonald IV.
"He’s got the right mindset, I know that. He comes out here and works his butt off every day. He’s got some freakiness to him from an athletic standpoint," said Ulbrich. "He definitely has some stuff you can’t coach."
The Jets are also hoping for some big progression from Jermaine Johnson, the first round pick last year who didn’t finish with a Rookie of the Year honor.
"He is in such a better place this year," said Ulbrich. "He understands exactly what he wants to get accomplished and, more importantly, he understands how to get that accomplished."
The 6-foot-5 Johnson has noticeably matured according to the Jets' defensive coordinator.
"Seeing him work out here, it’s not just a guy straining and flailing and working hard. There's a deliberate approach to every drill that he has. I’m excited about what he could become."
The Jets defense is filled with talent and high-ceiling players, but they also need to be put in a position to the thrive in order to make this defense the dominant force it was in 2022. To think the Jets will simply move guys around and expect the same amount of production may be the lynch pin for this defense in 2023.
Featured Image via Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
