The New York Jets were statistically among the worst defenses in the NFL last year. That isn’t an exaggeration, that isn’t taking a shot at a team that historically is easy to target, it is simply the facts on paper. Ranking 31st in points allowed and 25th in total yards allowed, not to mention the team being unable to record a single interception last year. A record breaking performance, but not in the way you would want.
Fast forward to the opening day of free agency and how the team addressed the first 3 hours. All 5 of the Jets’ signings came on the defensive side of the ball and rightfully so. Let’s take a deeper look at the newest members heading to the Big Apple.
Minkah Fitzpatrick – Safety
The day kicked off with a surprise in-division trade with the Miami Dolphins in which they acquired 5x Pro-Bowl Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The trade included the Jets sending a 2026 seventh-round pick they acquired from the Chargers, while also agreeing to terms on a new 3 year, $40 million deal with Fitzpatrick.
The Jets filled a huge need by pulling off this trade before the legal tampering period even began. At 29 years old, Fitzpatrick brings a level of veteran leadership, experience, and accountability that this team has been lacking for years. In 2025, he had a PFF grade of 81.8, which was 5th among all safeties in the NFL. Pairing that with a run defense grade of 78.3, which was 8th among safeties, 82 solo tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 6 passes deflected. With the ability to line up at multiple positions on defense, New York hit a home run to start the morning.
Demario Davis – Linebacker
If you think this name sounds familiar, that’s because this is a homecoming many people did not see happening. Linebacker Demario Davis was selected in the 3rd round at pick 77 out of Arkansas State back in 2012 by the New York Jets. He went on to become one of the rising defensive stars in the league until the two went their separate ways, where Davis set off to join the New Orleans Saints. Today, the 14-year vet signed a 2-year deal, worth $22 million, to return to where it all started.
The Jets culture has continuously been a place where losing is a normal thing. Bringing in players who have a standard for winning and building a winning locker room is incredibly valuable for a team with this much youth. Davis has racked up 5 All-Pro awards, 2 Pro-Bowl appearances, and the Walter Payton Man of the Year honor. With Quincy Williams gone, there was a big hole to be filled next to Jermaine Sherwood, calling out plays on the defense. He might be heading towards the end of his career, but the mental aspect he brings to this team is a huge win.
Joseph Ossai – Edge
Coming out of the University of Texas, I got to see Joseph Ossai play a lot of football. Selected in the 3rd round by the Cincinnati Bengals, he has slowly been growing into his own at the young age of 25. Many of you probably remember his not-so-famous incident during the 2023 AFC Championship game, where they had a chance to defeat Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, due to a late penalty by Ossai, pushing Mahomes late out of bounds, they were able to get in scoring distance to win the game and progress to the next round.
Ossai signs a 3-year deal, at $36 million dollars. After trading starting edge Jermaine Johnson, the team needed to find a replacement, and I believe Ossai is the perfect fit for the new scheme the team will be running. He’s had 5 sacks in his last two seasons, 13 tackles for loss, over 50 solo tackles, and 27 QB hits. Now with a more prominent role in the Jets’ defense, he has all the opportunity to rise to the challenge of helping this team turn things around.
Kingsley Enagbare – Edge
Aaron Glenn continued the day by adding yet another young edge defender in Kingsley Enagbare from the Green Bay Packers on a 1-year, $10 million deal. Over the last 4 years, Kingsley has played more of a depth piece, where I see him also contributing in the same way in New York. Racking up 11.5 sacks, 79 solo tackles, and 31 QB hits. He will come in and be more of a rotational player to help keep the starters fresh while also helping out on special teams. A lot of untapped potential with Enagbare, but if anyone will be able to bring that to the surface, it will be long-time veteran defensive coach Karl Dunbar.
David Onyemata – Defensive Line
If you have some free time, go look up a viral video from last year that includes new defensive lineman David Onyemata interacting with head coach Aaron Glenn. After defeating the Atlanta Falcons, you can see David coming up to Glenn and thanking him for all the lessons he learned while the two were in New Orleans together. If there is one thing we know for sure, it’s that AG is a player’s coach, and nothing encapsulates that more than their conversation.
Onyemata signed a 1 year deal at $10.5 million dollars. He is going to be another depth piece that can rotate on the interior defensive line and is already familiar with what Glenn likes to do from a schematic side. With over 75 solo tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and a 78.2 PFF grade while in Atlanta, this signing is going to be huge for the Jets’ run game.
Final Breakdown
The Jets are a long way from turning this thing around, but today set a lot of foundational building blocks that needed to be addressed. I give their first day of free agency a solid B+ across the board. Got great value at major needs, without giving up too much in return. Let’s see what the rest of the offseason has in store.
Check out our other posts and videos as we continue to cover the offseason!
