At the start of every NFL season, fans are locked in on how their team’s top offseason additions perform.
However, early on, it’s quite common that under-the-radar pickups pop more than the big-ticket ones.
The New York Jets are witnessing this right now. Two games into the regular season, their best offseason addition has been EDGE rusher Kingsley Enagbare.
Enagbare’s early-season success
Throughout two weeks, Enagbare ranks second on the Jets with six total pressures, trailing just David Bailey’s eight. He is also tied with Bailey for the team lead in sacks (2.0), and knotted up with Azareye’h Thomas and Demario Davis for first in stops (4).
With Joseph Ossai out, Enagbare has been asked to take on a starting role, and he has made the most of his opportunities. That stands out because he was added as a depth piece this offseason, and he has thrived in an increased role to open the season.
Signed to a one-year, $10 million contract, Enagbare posted 2.0 sacks and 24 total pressures across 17 games (3 starts) in 2025. He has tied his sack total in two games, and he is already a quarter of the way there in total pressures.
Enagbare is also tied for fifth among defensive linemen in total pass-rush wins (10), per ESPN.
It’s only two weeks into the season, so there are still plenty of games to play, but the early returns are encouraging. He has never been an elite pass rusher, but he is known for his consistency; over his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Enagbare played 17 games and had either 24 or 25 pressures in every campaign.
Enagbare is better known for his run-stopping ability, which is a key reason the Jets signed him. In 2025, the Jets had one of the league’s worst run-stuffing units off the edge.
He and Ossai, whom the Jets also signed this offseason, profile as the two “balanced” players in the Jets’ EDGE room. Bailey and Will McDonald profile as more of pure pass-rushers, with limitations against the run. Ossai and Enagbare aren’t nearly as explosive getting after the QB, but they offer an even blend of pass-rushing and efficient run-stopping.
Having two of those edge rushers is valuable. It was obvious how much the Jets lacked that balance in 2025. Even without one of them, the Jets’ EDGE room has held up well so far in 2026, and that’s largely a testament to Enagbare’s strong start to the season.
Overall, Aaron Glenn has done an excellent job as the Jets’ defensive play caller, especially drawing up unique opportunities for the Jets’ defensive line to generate pressure and make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable.
Enagbare has been in the league for five years, and his pass-rush ceiling has become obvious. However, combined with his run defense, his pass-rush output is more than good enough for a Jets EDGE room with strong pass-rush prowess in Bailey and McDonald.
Above all, Enagbare’s ability to seamlessly replace Ossai in such a crucial role early in the season has been highly impressive. Even when Ossai returns, he has shown that he still deserves an important role in the Jets’ EDGE rotation.
