The New York Jets have lost one of their own.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, offensive lineman John Simpson has signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
Simpson, 28, will turn 29 before the start of the 2026 season.
A Key Cog on the Offensive Line Is Gone
Last season, the Jets started the same five offensive linemen from Week 1 through Week 18. They were the only team in the NFL to accomplish that feat. This was the first time that the Jets had accomplished that as a franchise since 2012.
When the Jets line up in Week 1 of the 2026 season, there will be at least one new piece to that puzzle.
Simpson originally joined the Jets in March of 2024. Over the last two seasons, he has appeared in 34 out of 34 possible games.
The former Clemson product entered the league as the No. 109 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft. He spent the first two and a half seasons of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders.
In December of 2022, he got waived by the Raiders. Simpson signed with the Ravens later that month. He finished off 2022 in Baltimore and then was with them through the 2023 season. Now he is back where his career took off.
Jets Lose Their Safety Net With Simpson Leaving in Free Agency
Simpson provided the Jets with a floor at left guard. He wasn’t nearly as talented as Alijah Vera-Tucker, but he did beat him in one important category: availability.
Simpson has started 51 straight games over the last three years. Sometimes your best ability is availability. However, this past season, he showed some warts with penalty issues, and he didn’t play nearly as well in 2025 as he did in 2024.
The Jets let him test the waters, knowing that they could lose him, and they have.
Simpson Got More Money Than He Was Projected to Receive
Spotrac’s calculated market value expected Simpson to command a two-year $12 million contract. That $6 million annual salary would have placed him No. 15 among the highest-paid left guards in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
However, he got much more than that on the open market. That’s free agency, baby.
Simpson signed a three-year, $30 million contract. That $10 million annual salary places him No. 11 among the highest-paid LGs in the league, per OTC.
The Jets Are Getting Risky
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
The Jets are attempting to upgrade at left guard. Perhaps they will be able to find a suitable replacement on the open market. The solution could come during the 2026 NFL draft. The Jets have four picks inside the top-44, but that is a lot of pressure to fill that need.
Not only will the Jets know they have to fill that void, but so will every other team in the NFL. That could open you up to getting sniped on draft day if your need is so obvious.
If the Jets are going to have a successful season in 2026, it’ll have to be because of strong O-Line play.
Jets Lose Starting OL on $30 Million Deal to Ravens: Report