After missing out on Jadeveon Clowney this week and losing Bryce Huff to free agency, the NY Jets are still in need of pass-rush assistance. There was some hope that the Jets would be able to sign Clowney, who appeared to be the ideal addition.
Ultimately, Clowney consented to a $20 million, two-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. It’s difficult to entirely blame the Jets for what appeared to be a sticking point during that second season.
Nevertheless, this indicates that the Jets are still looking for defensive line depth because there aren’t many good free agent choices available. Nonetheless, one name sticks out from the others.
Calais Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowler and potential Hall of Famer, is still a free agent. The Jets should prioritize signing him in light of their inability to sign Clowney.
The NY Jets would be well served to pursue Calais Campbell as a free agency.
Even though Campbell will turn 38 in September, he is still one of the best players in the NFL as he nears his 17th season. He had arguably his greatest season in years past season as an Atlanta Falcon, starting all 17 games.
With 42 total pressures and 6.5 sacks at the end of the 2023 season, Campbell achieved his greatest totals since 2019. Out of all edge defenders who have played at least 700 plays, his Pro Football Focus grade of 80.0 placed him in 15th place.
Together with players like T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa, and Khalil Mack, he ranked sixth among his position with an 80.6 PFF run-defense grade. Even at his age, Campbell continues to play at a very high level, which is quite an accomplishment.
In addition, he is regarded by many as one of the NFL’s most adored and revered players. Walter Payton Man of the Year, the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award, the Bart Starr Award, and the Art Rooney Award have all been given to Campbell. He has received every honor conceivable for sportsmanship and leadership.
Prior to signing a one-year contract with the Falcons, Campbell was heavily courted by the Jets during the previous summer and even paid them a visit. The Jets should definitely give him another look throughout the offseason.
It wouldn’t be accurate to say that Campbell would replace Huff exactly. Although Campbell is far more akin to John Franklin-Myers at 6-foot-8 and 282 pounds than Huff, the Jets should still sign him despite this.
In essence, the Jets need one more veteran player to round out their front seven. The remaining free agent choices are mostly made up of washed-up veteran edge rushers like Randy Gregory and Yannick Ngakoue.
Even though Campbell is among the oldest players in the NFL, he played more than 60% of the snaps for the Falcons last season and did so at a very high level. Campbell was previously the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Jets’ defense would have benefited greatly from the arrival of Clowney, but Campbell can fill the same position. The team’s new top free-agent priority ought to be him.
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The New York Jets could be the team of choice to sign Jadeveon Clowney
The goal of the Jets is to sign Jadeveon Clowney.
After parting ways with Bryce Huff this offseason, the NY Jets appear to have narrowed their focus to three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney as their top goal when it comes to edge rush support.
Although the two sides were unable to reach a consensus during Clowney’s formal visit to the Jets earlier in the week, the meeting is said to have gone quite well.
Other teams, like the Carolina Panthers and the Baltimore Ravens (Clowney’s 2023 team), have expressed interest in signing him, but the Jets seem to be the early favorite.
The Jets are “highly motivated” to attempt to work out a deal with Clowney, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, and the two parties have been “in constant contact” ever since he departed Florham Park.
Although the Jets face competition, they appear highly driven to close this deal. They ought to be regarded as the front-runners to sign Clowney.
The NY Jets defense would benefit greatly from the arrival of Jadeveon Clowney.
The Jets are not looking to sign an over-the-hill, washed-up veteran like Clowney for a part-time position. The fact that last year was arguably the best pass-rushing season of his career shows that the former No. 1 overall choice is still performing at a very high level.
In addition to finishing with 9.5 sacks and 71 total pressures—both career highs—the three-time Pro Bowler is still among the NFL’s top run-defenders at his position.
You could legitimately argue that Clowney would be the best edge defender on the Jets because he is a very excellent player. Jermaine Johnson, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl the previous season, is included in that, yes. Clowney truly excels.
The Jets anticipate that Will McDonald, a first-round pick in 2023, will play a bigger part in his second NFL season. Despite playing less snaps than any other first-round pick by the Jets since Vernon Gholston last season, the Iowa State product’s potential is still highly valued by the team.
However, it wouldn’t be the best idea to depend on an unproven McDonald during a season in which the Jets have a real chance to win the Super Bowl. The Jets’ defensive line’s floor and ceiling are both markedly raised by Clowney.
In recent years, Clowney has developed a tendency of switching teams frequently. The former standout player from South Carolina has spent six seasons playing for five different teams, choosing to accept one-year deals over multi-year ones. But you can’t argue with the outcomes.
The Jets want to use free agency to make another big short-term splash. If they land Clowney in the near future, don’t be shocked.
Five cutters on the edge After passing on Jadeveon Clowney, the NY Jets can now sign
The Jets should sign someone, but they should pass on Clowney.
Three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney was a target for the NY Jets, and there were indications that a deal would be completed in the end. Ultimately, on Wednesday, Clowney and the Carolina Panthers reached an agreement on a two-year, $20 million contract.
With Bryce Huff gone in free agency, the Jets are still in shock. Clowney would have been a fantastic addition. Even though the Jets anticipate that 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald will play a bigger role in 2024, they still anticipate adding a player to strengthen their pass-rush unit.
Sadly, there aren’t many tempting possibilities available on the free-agent market. In free agency, there is no Clowney counterpart. Still, anticipate that the Jets will investigate their other choices.
After missing out on Clowney, let’s examine five experienced edge rushers who the Jets can still sign.
5. Yannick Ngakoue might sign with the NY Jets
In 2024, the well-traveled Yannick Ngakoue will likely be playing for his seventh different team as he begins his ninth NFL season. Maybe the Jets are that team.
Ngakoue shown that he is still a potent pass rusher in 2022 by recording 19.5 sacks while playing for the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders. But his Chicago Bears season in 2023 was less than stellar.
On more than 400 pass-rush snaps, Ngakoue finished with just four sacks and 34 pressures. Additionally, he failed to make more than 29% of his tackle attempts. Ngakoue has never been a very good run defender, and the previous season saw a sharp decline in his pass-rush effectiveness.
Nevertheless, Ngakoue is among the more desirable free-agent edge rushers available in the market despite a lackluster class of competitors. He also has some connection to the Jets coaching staff from his interactions with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton and Robert Saleh in Jacksonville.
