One of the main reasons for increased optimism about the New York Jets’ defense entering the 2026 season was the addition of several proven veterans, with Demario Davis at the top of that list.
After a solid start to the season, the Jets’ defense has come crashing down over the past few weeks. Since Week 6, the Jets have allowed 31.8 points per game, second-worst in the NFL.
Davis, in particular, has sneakily been among the culprits. It’s fair to start asking the question: Is he doing enough to anchor the Jets’ defense?
Has Davis been a disappointment?
Davis took over the Jets’ green-dotting duties this season after signing a two-year, $22 million deal with the team in the offseason. He is 37 years old, but entering this season, his age had yet to affect level of play. Through the 2025 season, Davis remained of the best LBs in football for quite some time with the New Orleans Saints.
This season, however, he hasn’t maintained that billing. Davis ranks 79th among 80 qualified linebackers in Pro Football Focus‘ defensive grade (43.3).
Tackling has been the main issue for Davis, who has missed 17.1% of his tackle attempts this season, on track to be a career low. It’s the seventh-highest mark among qualified LBs, while his 13 total missed tackles are the third-most.
The problem is that Davis is not producing many big plays to make up for the misses. He only has 16 defensive stops, tied for 49th among linebackers, to complement his 13 missed tackles. For context, last season, Davis finished with 16 missed tackles and 55 defensive stops.
It’s important to acknowledge that PFF’s grades and metrics do not mean everything. There are certainly flaws that come with them, and the eye test, especially when looking at a player like Davis, is important. The 37-year-old is being asked to take on significant responsibility within the Jets’ defense.
That said, it seems fair to say that Davis has underperformed through nine games this season. Leadership abilities aside, Davis was expected to be a massive part of the Jets’ defense this season, production-wise.
The missed tackles are particularly concerning. Tackling has always been one of his strong suits, and his decline in that area has been detrimental to the team’s defense.
The coverage numbers aren’t promising, either; Davis has allowed 25 of 33 passes his 235 yards (with no TDs or INTs). The Chiefs exploited him in last week’s victory, targeting Davis six times and completing all six passes for 66 yards and five first downs.
Some of this comes down to the situations Davis is being put in. The Jets’ pass rush has been highly inconsistent this season, making it even harder for a linebacker like Davis to hold up in coverage against athletic skill-position players.
Obviously, there is still value in having a veteran like him in the building. But that doesn’t fully excuse his lack of production. On an $11 million salary, the Jets are looking for more out of him.
The Jets, however, had to know they were taking a calculated risk when they decided to rely on Davis. While he looked like an ageless wonder entering the season, veteran players could fall off at any point. Just look at Harrison Phillips on the Jets’ defensive line. The fact that Davis plays every down doesn’t help matters; there is no way for the Jets to hide him or use him in a specialized way.
It’s on the front office to understand the risk of counting on a 37-year-old starter and have contingency plans if disaster strikes. The good news is that Jamien Sherwood has been on a bounce-back trajectory after a brutal 2025 campaign, but the Jets don’t currently have a reliable backup to turn to if Davis continues struggling.
Francisco Mauigoa, a 2025 fifth-round pick who showed flashes of upside in his rookie year, is on injured reserve due to a quad injury. There’s Trevin Wallace, a 2024 third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers who was claimed off waivers in August, but Wallace will be absent today for the second straight week with a groin injury.
Both players, though, are unproven, making it likely that the Jets will stick with their green-dot team captain through thick and thin. Despite his production struggles, they need Davis out there to lead the team’s young players.
However, Davis’ struggles from a production standpoint shouldn’t be ignored when discussing the reasons for New York’s defensive woes.
