Jets Team Leader Makes Public Appeal to Re-Sign 8-Year Pro

Getty New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed Jr. just made it known that he would like Gang Green to re-sign one of their own.

It’s no secret that the New York Jets could use another linebacker — and that’s no disrespect to former fifth-round selection Jamien Sherwood or 2023 sixth rounder Zaire Barnes.

Even if Sherwood or Barnes steps up and wins the third linebacker role outright, they still have very little depth behind their top three. What happens if C.J. Mosley or Quincy Williams is injured in this scenario? That would make Sherwood a full-time starter and force Barnes — or an unproven reserve like Hamsah Nasirildeen — into key backup duties.

For these reasons, it feels paramount that the Jets bring in a veteran to play the strongside linebacker position alongside Mosley and Williams, and who better than the man that did the job a season ago? Kwon Alexander is still available today on July 6, and NYJ fans have remained very conscious of his free agent status throughout the offseason. Apparently, so have his 2022 teammates.

“Bring @kwon back.!” Appealed cornerback and veteran team leader D.J. Reed Jr. on July 5 after quote tweeting an analytical screenshot displaying the top EPA plus/minus defenders in 2022. This statistic represents “expected points added,” and determines which player had the “biggest difference on their defense’s performance when on the field vs. when they were off the field.”

Alexander ranked 12th in the NFL in this area just behind Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, for what it’s worth, and he had a similar EPA impact as Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick and was 0.04 points behind Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons.

The former NYJ linebacker did offer up a response for Reed and Jets nation, voicing that “s*** only gone get better Brodie!”

Ex-Jets LB Kwon Alexander Could Be Looking for Raise After Healthy Season in 2022

Obviously, EPA isn’t a perfect statistic. No one is arguing that Alexander was as important to the Jets defense as Garrett or Parsons were to their respective teams, but it does show just how good a campaign the former Pro Bowler was able to have in New York.

Alexander held opposing quarterbacks to a 96.2 passer rating in coverage according to Pro Football Focus. That ranked sixth for Jets defenders who registered at least 100 coverage snaps in 2022, and it also outperformed a fellow linebacker in Williams.

Generally speaking, the eight-year pro was pretty well-rounded with 25 key defensive stops and a missed tackle percentage near the NYJ average, as well as five quarterback pressures and a half-sack as a pass rusher. Alexander was the ideal third linebacker in head coach Robert Saleh’s nickel-heavy defense — and this type of role is probably beneficial for the soon-to-be 29-year-old too, considering his age and injury history.

Right now, the holdup is most likely financial. Alexander only earned a little over $1.272 million last season according to Over the Cap. Just $732,500 of that amount was guaranteed by Gang Green.

After a productive and healthy campaign, Alexander is no doubt looking for more money in 2023. How much he’s willing to sign for is the big question. The Jets have plenty of cap space at the moment, but they still have a couple of long-term contract adjustments to figure out between Aaron Rodgers and Quinnen Williams.

Once they finalize those alterations, general manager Joe Douglas should be able to pony up a small raise for a helpful piece like Alexander.

Jets Analyst Believes Caleb Johnson Has ‘Edge’ on UDFA Linebacker Trio

The Jets did sign three undrafted linebackers in 2023, and there’s a chance that Barnes or another rookie develops faster than expected. If a UDFA were to surprise in training camp, Jets X-Factor film analyst Michael Nania has his money on Miami’s Caleb Johnson.

“The Jets are thin at linebacker, giving one of the three undrafted linebackers a reasonable shot at making the roster,” Nania wrote on July 5. “Of the three, Johnson is the only one who hails from a Power-5 school, so I give him the edge. Johnson had 48 tackles over just 299 defensive snaps for Miami (FL) last season.”

The other two UDFAs are Maalik Hall (Southeastern Oklahoma State) and Claudin Cherelus (Alcorn State). All three profile as practice squad candidates on a win-now roster.