At the moment, the New York Jets are prepared to run with this trio of edge rushers for their second-string defensive line:
- Micheal Clemons (More career penalties than sacks)
- Braiden McGregor (2024 UDFA who had 0 sacks, 0 QB hits in 7 games)
- Tyler Baron (2025 fifth-round pick who had 0 sacks, 0 QB hits in 3 preseason games)
Yeah, this is what you would call a “dire need.”
If the Jets are serious about competing for a playoff spot in 2025, they will not sit around with this lackluster depth chart at a premium position.
Here are three available free agents who would instantly upgrade the Jets’ edge unit.
Za’Darius Smith
The three-time Pro Bowler was traded from Cleveland to Detroit midway through the 2024 season, where he played eight games.
Smith enjoyed a successful half-season under Aaron Glenn, racking up four sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and a whopping 36 total pressures.
To get the most out of the 32-year-old, Detroit utilized Smith as a pass-rush specialist; 77% of his defensive snaps were on pass plays.
New York needs help everywhere within its second-string edge unit (they do not have quality run defenders, either), but pass rushing is the top priority. Whenever Will McDonald or Jermaine Johnson rotates out of the game, their replacement will be a player who is almost guaranteed to lose their one-on-one pass-rush matchup.
Smith is turning 33 next week, but he is still a quality pass-rush specialist who can allow the Jets to rest their starters without sacrificing any semblance of a pass rush.
Jadeveon Clowney
Clowney, who turned 32 in February, offers a more balanced game than Smith at this stage of their careers. He played 46.4 snaps per game, exactly 10 more than Smith (36.4), and was still trusted to be on the field in any situation.
In the 2024 season with Carolina, Clowney recorded 5.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and 44 total pressures while registering an above-average run defense grade of 63.4 at Pro Football Focus.
It is a far cry from his prime abilities as a run stopper. Still, the Jets will gladly sign up for above-average run defense on the edge, considering four of the five edge rushers on their active roster project as below-average run defenders.
Carl Lawson
Could a reunion make sense for both parties?
An unfortunate ACL tear prevented Carl Lawson from living up to his three-year, $45 million deal with the Jets. He seemed to be on his way out of the NFL after a dismal 2023 season, but in 2024, Lawson underwent a resurgence with the Cowboys.
Staying healthy for the entire season, Lawson made the Cowboys’ practice squad and worked his way onto the active roster, playing 15 games with three starts. Lawson finished the season with five sacks, 15 quarterback hits, and 27 total pressures.
Lawson is not quite the player that Smith or Clowney are, but the Jets can probably snag him for a cheaper price tag, and he would still provide a major upgrade over the Jets’ current second-string edge rushers. Lawson had more sacks in 2024 than Clemons, McGregor, and Baron have in their NFL careers.
Known for his explosive get-off and powerful bull rush, Lawson has always been solid at consistently generating pressure and getting hits on the quarterback. He is a lackluster sack finisher, a product of his short arms and stiffness around the corner, but New York will gladly take the influx of pressures and hits, as they will not even get those from their current trio.
As a run defender, Lawson is nothing special, but he has always been viewed as about league-average, which, again, is still an upgrade for the Jets.
