The New York Jets might have landed one of the biggest steals of the NFL offseason.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report said veteran defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson “could wind up being the most productive of the free agents they signed” in free agency.
New York signed the 30-year-old to a one-year deal for $3.6 million and that included $2.75 million guaranteed at signing.
While that move didn’t necessarily garner headlines around the league, Ballentine said it’s the kind of signing that “everyone will look back on by November and wonder how the Jets got away with it.”
Another Career Year Could Be Coming for Quinton Jefferson on Jets
The former Maryland product is coming off of a career year.
In 2022 he recorded 5.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and secured six tackles for loss. Jefferson appeared in all 17 games and made three starts for the Seattle Seahawks.
Despite those impressive statistical measurements, Seattle cut bait on March 14 making the big man an unrestricted free agent.
It’s something Jefferson has grown accustomed to. He is on his fourth team across the last four seasons. In 2023 he will be on his fifth team in five years.
Even though the veteran has moved around over the years, he has been wildly productive.
Over the last five seasons, he has registered at least three sacks every year. So he presents a nice floor as a pass rusher and he displayed a new ceiling last year.
“Jefferson should be able to slot in right beside Quinnen Williams and take advantage of the opportunity. The 25-year-old led the team in sacks last season and is the kind of interior presence who commands double teams,” Ballentine explained in a column posted on Wednesday, June 14. “Having a pass-rusher like Jefferson beside him should be a boost to an already-talented defensive front.”
Jets Musical Chairs at Defensive Tackle in 2023
The Jets have retained the majority of the pieces that made this defense the No. 4 overall unit in the NFL last season.
However, there have been a few key losses over the last handful of months. The most notable of which have come in the defensive line room.
Nathan Shepherd joined the New Orleans Saints and Sheldon Rankins signed with the Houston Texans. That left the defensive tackle room pretty barren for New York.
Shepherd was a coaching favorite and someone that wore down opponents with his annoying physical presence on a play-to-play basis. Rankins, a former first-rounder, provided juice as a pass-rushing specialist on the inside of the defense.
Quinnen Williams exploded seemingly out of nowhere last season. He joined the conversation among the best defensive tackles in football earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Entering the 2023 season he is going to command double and sometimes triple teams from opposing offenses. That should open plenty of favorable matchups that Jefferson can take advantage of.
Al Woods specializes in run stuffing and will be an important part of the rotation. In addition to Woods, some of the other players who will eat up reps include Micheal Clemons and John Franklin-Myers who will play both inside and outside on this Jets defensive line.
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Jets Praised for $3.6 Million Signing: How Did They Get Away With It?