Behind Demario Davis, the New York Jets lack a proven linebacker entering the 2026 season. While Jamien Sherwood was excellent in 2024, he took a massive step back in 2025, and it remains unknown if he will regain his step in 2026.

Beyond Davis and Sherwood on the depth chart, the Jets have several LBs who possess upside and have shown flashes, but have yet to establish themselves as reliable players.

Here is a look at the Jets’ current depth chart at LB.

  • Demario Davis (MIKE)
  • Jamien Sherwood (WILL)
  • Kiko Mauigoa (MIKE)
  • Mychal Walker (WILL)
  • Marcelino McCrary-Ball (WILL)
  • Kendrick Blackshire (MIKE)

The Jets need a third linebacker to step up, someone who can both play sub-package snaps in base looks and potentially be relied on as an every-down starter if someone goes down or if Sherwood has another disappointing start to the season.

Among those players, who’s the most likely to step up and take on a crucial workload in 2026?

Who will rise to the occasion in the Jets’ LB room?

Before his season came to an end due to a neck injury, Kiko Mauigoa played in 12 games for the Jets and made eight starts as a fifth-round rookie. In his first few starts with the team, Mauigoa looked the part of a starting-caliber LB.

During Week 6, his 86.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranked within the top five of all LBs, filling the role of Quincy Williams as he dealt with injury.

As the Jets dealt with a flurry of injuries towards the ned of the season, Mykal Walker played a key defensive role throughout the squad’s final five games, playing 135 snaps on defense from Weeks 14-18. Over that span, he earned an impressive 80.4 overall grade from PFF, the 10th-best among qualified LBs.

He was also highly reliable as a tackler, missing zero tackles last season, which is crucial. Furthermore, he played a crucial role on the Jets’ historic special teams unit, logging the second-most snaps among special teamers and finishing with an 80.2 grade from PFF, the sixth-best mark on the team.

Throughout his time with the Jets, Marcelino McCrary-Ball has largely been a special teamer and hasn’t flashed anything impressive when given an opportunity on the defensive side of the ball.

That narrows the Jets’ internal “breakout” candidates at the position to Mauigoa and Walker.

While Mauigoa may possess more long-term upside, Walker seems better suited to make a bigger difference in 2026. Mauigoa’s tackling woes and struggles in coverage outweighed the flashes he displayed. Missing eight tackles, which contributed to a 16.7% missed-tackle rate, his 31.7 coverage grade per PFF ranked 83rd among 88 qualified LBs last season.

Granted, Walker played just 195 defensive snaps compared to Mauigoa’s 325, but he didn’t miss a tackle, and his coverage grade of 68.7 from PFF was way higher.

Mauigoa has more room for growth, though, as he is 23 years old and entering his second season, while Waker is 28 and entering his seventh. Presently, though, Walker appears more reliable.

Whether it be Walker, Mauigoa, McCrary-Ball, or someone else Gang Green picks up before the season starts, it will be crucial for an unexpected LB to break out for the Jets in 2026.