The New York Jets are on fire, signing three veteran defensive players within a 30-minute span about an hour after the NFL’s legal tampering window opened.
After adding defensive ends Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare, the Jets have agreed on a deal to reunite with familiar face Demario Davis. The 37-year-old linebacker is re-joining the Jets on a two-year, $22 million deal with $15 million fully guaranteed, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Davis is returning for his third stint with the Jets. He was drafted by the team in 2012 and played there until 2015, when he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. After one year in Cleveland, Davis returned to the Jets in 2017, only to sign with the New Orleans Saints, where he played the next eight seasons (2018-25).
Sharing part of that time with current Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, Davis made five All-Pro appearances in New Orleans, most recently in 2023. This past season, Davis started all 17 games for the Saints and made 143 total tackles.
Davis remains one of the NFL’s premier linebackers, justifying the $15 million in guarantees despite his age. In 2025, he earned an 81.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking fifth-best among linebackers.
The wily veteran was particularly dominant as a run defender, with his 88.9 grade ranking sixth-best. He is no slouch in coverage, though, placing 11th with a 70.3 grade.
Davis put up elite numbers in both phases.
In coverage, his 8.1 yards allowed per reception ranked ninth-best. This is a key stat for linebackers, as they have little control over preventing receptions in coverage; most of the targets attributed to them are dump-offs and short passes in their zone. Their job on these plays is simply to prevent those receptions from going far, and Davis’ low yards-per-reception reflects his ability to do that at a high level.
As a run defender, Davis ranked fourth at the position with 39 run stops.
Perhaps more important than Davis’ on-field production is the impact he can make off the field for a Jets team trying to pull itself out of the gutter. Davis was a team captain in all eight of his seasons with the Saints and is one of the most respected leaders in the game. He can work wonders for a Jets team that is green across both the roster and the coaching staff.
In particular, Davis’ mentorship could be valuable for the talented Jamien Sherwood, who has a high ceiling but saw his play drop off in 2025.
With the signing of Demario Davis, the Jets have not only upgraded a position of weakness with one of the best players in the game, but they have acquired an extremely impactful veteran presence who can be instrumental in reshaping the habits and mentality of a franchise accustomed to losing.
