Demario Davis just can't stay away from the New York Jets.

A third-round selection (No. 77 overall) by the Jets in the 2012 NFL Draft, Davis was with the Green & White his first four seasons. He spent 2016 in Cleveland after signing in free agency, was traded back to the Jets before signing with New Orleans and spending eight productive seasons in the Big Easy.

"I never would have thought in a million years that I would be back two times, let alone three times," Davis said during Phase 3 of the Jets' OTA offseason program. "But for me, I always try to find a positive perspective, and I guess it's just where I'm meant to be, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm happy, my family's happy, everything feels right. I'm playing with a coach [HC Aaron Glenn] that I believe in more than anything. We've been together for a long time in this league. I'm playing with a locker room full of brothers that I enjoy being around every day."

Davis, 37, is an outlier in the NFL -- a long-tenured player at a key position, middle linebacker. He's rarely missed a snap across his 14 seasons, appearing in 227 games (213 starts) with 1,536 tackles (951 solo), 116 TFL, 45 sacks, 61 PDs, 9 FR and 6 FF. With the Saints last season, Davis (6-2, 248) started all 17 games and led his defense in tackles (143) for an eighth straight season. Glenn and Davis were together in New Orleans from 2018-20 when Glenn was the team's secondary coach.

"I'm just excited, I'm excited about the guys that they brought together," Davis said, adding, "You need a talented roster to compete in this game, that gives you a shot, and then it comes down to the execution and staying healthy. But when you think about playing first, it starts with the run game on defense."

GM Darren Mougey and Glenn, who will call plays for the defense this season, recognized the need to strengthen the Jets' run defense -- via trade, free agency and the draft. They traded for massive DT T'Vondre Sweat; signed edges Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare; DT David Onyemata; and then selected Texas Tech edge David Bailey with the No. 2 overall draft pick. They join forces with Harrison Phillips, Jowon Briggs and Will McDonald IV.

Davis spoke glowingly about Onyemata, 33, who was a teammate in New Orleans for several seasons.

"I don't want to make a preposterous statement, because I've played with a lot of guys, but he's easily top five, one of the best run defenders I've ever played with," Davis said. "I mean, he makes a noticeable difference in the game. And our time with the Saints, every year that he was on our roster we were in the top five on defense in the league in almost every category you look at, you can go back and check that track record."

As he settles in to face QB Geno Smith, another guy who's back at 1 Jets Drive after years away, across the line of scrimmage in practice, Davis said he's been deeply impressed.

"At this point, you would have to believe there's a reason he keeps ending up on rosters, is the reason he keeps ending up in the starting lineup, so I'm excited to have him in the point of his career, but what I get a chance to see is what probably many people don't see is his personality, and here's somebody who comes to work every day with the right attitude, extremely competitive, one of the most competitive guys I've been around, and his spirit and continence is right," Davis said. "It's something about him."

He added: "He's very comfortable in his skin. He knows who he is. He's arriving at this moment with his mind right, and you can feel it."