Only three players on the New York Jets’ roster have posted 5+ sacks in either of the past two seasons: Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald, and Jermaine Johnson. Over the same span, the remaining defensive linemen on the roster have combined for 10.5 sacks in 194 games, a pace of less than one sack per 17 games.
The once-proud Jets defensive line is devoid of the pass-rush depth that made it such a formidable unit as recently as two years ago. With a dearth of talent, the Jets’ revamped coaching staff will have to get creative to apply pressure on the quarterback. They must find pass-rush production from sources outside of the defensive line.
Their two best potential solutions? Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams.
Jets’ linebackers hold keys to pass rush
Under the Jets’ previous regime, the off-ball linebackers played a minimal role in the pass rush. New York blitzed at one of the lowest rates in the NFL, so the linebackers usually stayed back in coverage instead of pursuing the quarterback.
However, that is bound to change under Aaron Glenn and Steve Wilks.
While the Jets’ head coach and defensive coordinator have differing philosophies in some ways, they see eye-to-eye on blitzing. Glenn and Wilks both have histories as blitz-heavy coaches.
In 2024, Glenn’s Lions had the NFL’s third-highest blitz rate at 38.4%. Over his last five stops as a defensive play caller, Wilks’ teams had an average blitz rate of 36% and an average ranking of eighth in the category. If you remove his 2023 season with the 49ers, where Wilks adhered to San Francisco’s entrenched philosophies, those averages rise to 39.9% and third.
New York’s increased blitz rate will stem from a massive spike in pass-rush snaps for the linebackers. Consider this: While playing under Glenn this past season, Lions linebacker Jack Campbell had 118 pass-rush snaps (sixth-most among linebackers). Sherwood and Williams combined for 119 pass-rush snaps.
In total, the Lions’ linebackers combined for a league-high 356 pass-rush snaps. The Jets’ linebackers combined for 139 pass-rush snaps, ranked 24th in the league.
On a per-game basis, that’s a difference of 20.9 pass-rush snaps per game versus 8.2. This means the Jets’ linebackers could be due to see a combined total of nearly 13 more pass-rush opportunities per game.
Split between Sherwood and Williams, that’s a weekly boost of about six or seven extra blitzing opportunities apiece.
The Jets’ linebackers will be asked to carry a heavier pass-rush workload than they have seen before. While it sounds like a tall order, both Sherwood and Williams have displayed the potential to be high-level blitzers. The boost in pass-rush chances could unlock a new level of impact in their games.
Sherwood and Williams are known for their speed and athleticism as opposed to their size and strength. This has translated to exceptional efficiency in the pass-rush game (albeit over a small sample size of chances).
On just 53 career pass-rush snaps, Sherwood has collected 12 pressures, giving him a pressure rate of 22.6%. For perspective, the 2024 league average for linebackers was 17.5%. Sherwood also has three total sacks (2.5 officially), which gives him a 5.7% sack rate. The league average for linebackers was 3.1% in 2024.
Williams has maintained similarly impressive production over a much larger sample. On 237 career pass-rush snaps, Williams has posted 48 pressures (20.3% pressure rate) and 10 sacks (4.2% sack rate).
How big of an impact could they have?
If Sherwood and Williams can maintain their efficiency on a larger workload of pass-rush snaps, their production ceilings are tantalizing.
Let’s say that Sherwood and Williams each finish the 2025 season with 120 pass-rush snaps (Jack Campbell’s neighborhood). If they replicate their career pressure and sack rates over 120 pass-rush snaps, these are the totals they would accumulate:
- Sherwood (22.6% pressure rate, 5.7% sack rate): 27 pressures, 7 sacks
- Williams (20.3% pressure rate, 4.2% sack rate): 24 pressures, 5 sacks
In 2024, Sherwood would have ranked fifth among linebackers in pressures and second in sacks, while Williams would have ranked sixth in pressures and third in sacks.
As a duo, their 51 pressures and 12 sacks would rank second and first among linebacker pairings, respectively. Only Washington’s Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu (59) exceeded 50 pressures in 2024.
All of this is purely projection; we don’t know exactly how often Sherwood and Williams will end up rushing the passer, and they must prove they can replicate their small-sample efficiency over a larger workload. If teams are prepared for Sherwood and Williams to blitz on a frequent basis, their efficiency could be lower than it was when they were only blitzing once in a blue moon.
Nonetheless, it is enticing for the Jets to think about the untapped potential that exists with Sherwood and Williams as blitzers. The ceiling is there. And with very little depth to rely upon within the defensive line, it is worth giving Sherwood and Williams as many chances as possible to unlock their full potential as blitzers.
If Sherwood and Williams can combine for at least 45-50 pressures and 8-10 sacks, it would fill a gaping hole in their pass-rush depth chart, essentially providing the production of an excellent fourth pass rusher behind Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald, and Jermaine Johnson. If that trio holds its own, the Jets could return to their status as a top-tier pass rush.
From there, the Jets would need their secondary to step up. Increasing your blitz rate does not come without consequences. The price is that the defensive backs need to play more man-to-man coverage without underneath help from the linebackers.
But with lengthy, physical corners in Sauce Gardner, Brandon Stephens, and Azareye’h Thomas – along with an elite nickel corner in Michael Carter II – the Jets have the pieces they need to support a heavy blitz volume from the linebackers.
While the Jets did not make a significant addition to their pass rush via the draft, free agency, or the trade market, they might have a major boost brewing from within.