ANew York Jets reunion.
Former Jets defensive lineman Solomon Thomas has been traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Tennessee Titans, per NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. The two teams will swap seventh-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft.
Thomas will reunite with former Jets head coach, current Titans HC Robert Saleh. They crossed over for three seasons in New York (2021-24). Thomas and Saleh were also together for an additional four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2017-20).
Saleh Is Collecting Former Jets Like Infinity Stones
Saleh is trying to recreate the New York Titans or perhaps the Tennessee Jets.
Dennis Waszak Jr of the Associated Press highlighted all of the other former Jets who have ended up in Tennessee.
That list includes defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, former player turned coach Tanzel Smart (assistant D-Line coach), pass rusher Jermaine Johnson (trade), and John Franklin-Myers (free agency splash).
It’ll be a family reunion during the 2026 season. The Jets are scheduled to travel to Tennessee to play the Titans. The 2026 NFL schedule will be released in the middle of May.
JFM Surprisingly Got the Bag on the Open Market
Sometimes it isn’t about who you are, but rather who you are with.
Franklin-Myers is a fine player. He is 29 years of age, and he will turn 30 during the 2026 season. The former Stephen F. Austin product has never been a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro, but he has been really solid.
The 6-foot-4, 288-pound defensive lineman entered the league as the No. 135 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Across his eight years in the NFL, JFM has appeared in 114 games and has made 83 starts. With those opportunities, Franklin-Myers has collected 34 sacks, 94 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, an interception, seven pass deflections, and has totaled 200 tackles.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen ranked the top 50 free agents that were set to hit the market this offseason. JFM was the only defensive tackle who made the rankings.
It’s a classic supply versus demand story. The demand for defensive tackles is high, but the supply is low. That simple equation meant JFM was set to receive a bag, and a bag he received.
He signed a three-year $63 million contract with $42 million in total guarantees, per Spotrac. That $21 million annual salary placed JFM No. 15 among the highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Jets Bring Back One of Their Own
In other news, the Jets are bringing back a fan-favorite.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz shared on social media that the team has re-signed fullback Andrew Beck. He received a one-year “guaranteed deal” for $1.5 million.
The Jets plan on running the football as their identity in 2026. To do that, the Jets will need a fullback to pave the way for Breece Hall and the rest of the crew.
In today’s day and age, fullbacks are a dying breed. Back in the day, every NFL team had a fullback; nowadays, they’re becoming a scarce bunch on NFL rosters.
According to Hogs Haven, 11 NFL teams carried fullbacks on their active roster for the 2024 season.
3-Year Jets Defensive Lineman Gets Traded, Reunited With Robert Saleh