In a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, the New York Jets placed a productive defensive lineman on injured reserve
The New York Jets have lost another key contributor to injury.
In a flurry of roster moves, the team put defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson on injured reserve, effectively ending his 2023 campaign.
Additionally, they signed defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes to the active roster while also signing defensive lineman Manny Jones and running back Jacques Patrick to the practice squad.
Roster Moves:
– Signed DL Jalyn Holmes to the active roster from the practice squad
– Placed DL Quinton Jefferson on IR
– Signed DL Manny Jones and RB Jacques Patrick to the practice squad— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 19, 2023
Jefferson, 30, was signed this offseason to provide an interior pass rush next to Quinnen Williams. Spending the majority of his career in Seattle, the veteran defensive lineman had 24 sacks and 195 total pressures before this season.
The production only increased for Jefferson in 2023. In 14 games for the Jets, Jefferson had 29 total pressures and a career-high 6.0 sacks (including four half-sacks, meaning he was involved in eight total sacks).
Jefferson’s production led to a PFF pass-rushing grade of 73.2, which was the best mark of his career as well. That placed 28th out of 105 qualified interior defensive linemen (min. 300 defensive snaps).
Without the veteran’s presence on the defensive line, the Jets may need to rely on Quinnen Williams even more than before. Additionally, players like Solomon Thomas and Micheal Clemons may need to step up to fill the void left by Jefferson.
The Jets may be eliminated from playoff contention, but the organization, based on press conference answers from the head coach and players, wants to finish 2023 on a strong note.
Without a key pass-rusher in Jefferson, the team needs to find a way to replace his production, or they may see a slight reduction in their overall defensive performance.
