After Braiden McGregor suffered a season-ending pectoral injury, the New York Jets have signed edge rusher Nate Lynn to their active roster, a source tells Jets X-Factor.
Lynn, 24, was arguably the Jets’ biggest preseason standout despite not signing with the team until after the team’s preseason opener. Across two preseason games, he generated a team-high six pressures, including three sacks, earning an 86.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking seventh among 173 EDGEs with at least 30 preseason snaps.
Despite that production, he was waived on cutdown day, as we first reported. The Jets rolled with five edge rushers on their initial 53-man roster, with McGregor beating him out for the final spot.
In four games this season, McGregor played 49 defensive snaps for the Jets, 18% of the unit’s total workload. He also played 45% of the snaps on special teams. Before his injury, McGregor did his job as a depth piece in the room, serving as a reliable edge-setter against the run.
Lynn should provide a boost where the Jets have struggled most defensively over the past few weeks: pass rushing. In their Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears, the Jets’ edge rushers combined for only four total pressures, with Will McDonald accounting for three of those.
The William & Mary product has logged a whopping 18.4% pressure rate in three NFL preseasons. Now, he will get his first regular-season opportunity to prove that his pass-rushing prowess can translate.
He will also need to hold his own as a run defender, though. McGregor hadn’t typically stood out as a run defender, but he rose to the occasion in his workload this year. Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare are the Jets’ only established edge-setters. Can Lynn serve as a consistent third option in that facet, replacing McGregor’s role from the first four weeks this year?
Lynn will not only get his first NFL opportunity in the regular season, but he’ll also have a chance to make an impact.
