The start of NFL free agency is just a few weeks away, and the New York Jets will face several pivotal decisions over the next month.
While the looming Breece Hall situation and rumored free agent targets have grabbed the headlines, there has been minimal chatter regarding the players Gang Green should look to bring back aside from Hall.
Among New York’s 30 pending free agents this offseason, there is an under-the-radar player on the defensive side of the ball that Gang Green should look to retain on a value deal: Mykal Walker.
Why the Jets should look to re-sign Mykal Walker
Walker, 28, was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
After three seasons in Atlanta, where he appeared in 49 games and made 20 starts, he was waived and bounced around practice squads, spending time with the Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders, and Arizona Cardinals before signing with the Jets’ practice squad in October.
He ultimately appeared in 14 games for the Jets in 2025, while earning five starts. Walker finished the year with 31 total tackles (one for loss) and one pass deflection.
His numbers don’t jump off the page. Quietly, though, Walker put together a strong finish to the season, hidden beneath the Jets’ overall defensive woes.
Amidst a plethora of injuries, Walker was elevated to a key defensive role over the Jets’ final five games, playing 135 defensive snaps from Weeks 14-18. Over that span, he recorded a remarkable 80.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 10th-best among linebackers (min. 100 snaps).
The most impressive aspect of Walker’s play was his tackling. He finished the year with zero missed tackles on defense. Suffice to say, sound tackling is something the Jets’ defense badly needs.
As the season progressed, the Jets cycled through a myriad of depth pieces on the defensive side of the ball. Walker was a rare standout among the unheralded players who received opportunities down the stretch.
He also made an impact on special teams, playing the second-most snaps among Jets special teamers (302), while earning an outstanding 80.2 grade from PFF, which ranked sixth on the team.
As a whole, the Jets’ linebacker room was horrific last season. It led to the dismissal of linebackers coach Aaron Curry.
The unit was one of Gang Green’s strongest position groups in 2024, but defensive captain Jamien Sherwood took a drastic step back, even getting benched while struggling mightily in coverage. The same could be said about former All-Pro Quincy Williams, who ranked among the league’s worst coverage linebackers.
Walker was the only positive from the Jets’ linebacker unit. He is not a starting-caliber player, but he showed enough to justify a return in 2026.
The veteran thrived as a rotational linebacker down the stretch and was one of the Jets’ most effective special teams contributors. At the right price, Walker is a depth piece who should be kept around.
