The Jets wasted little time addressing their needs on defense in the first wave of the free agency signing period that began in the middle of last week.
General manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn came out of the gate quickly in retooling and revamping the Jets' defense in rapid-fire fashion, solidifying the defensive line, the linebacker /edge position and the secondary via team-friendly contracts, and a couple of smart trades that will ripple through the unit.
With Glenn planning to call the plays, working with the new defensive coordinator Brian Duker, the Jets have brought in a flexible group of players who are expected to play the aggressive kind of defense Glenn helped to build during his time as DC in Detroit. He will have the ability to employ a 3-4 scheme to up the pressure on opposing quarterbacks while retaining the flexibility to mix and match while at the same time giving the newly acquired ballhawks in the secondary takeaway opportunities.
The Jets brought in two experienced players -- LB Demario Davis, 37, in free agency and S Minkah Fitzpatrick, 29, via trade -- who each have unique leadership qualities. For four straight years C.J. Mosley was a captain on and off the field, but his retirement after sustaining a neck injury in 2024 robbed the defense of that steady voice.
"Any team that is a winning team, whether it be the business world or the sports world, I think they have experienced men and women who have done it at a high level and seen the highs and the lows," said Fitzpatrick, who was acquired from AFC East rival Miami for a seventh-round selection in next month's NFL Draft. "When you bring in guys like that into a football program, I think there's a level of calm and a level of discipline and not being scared of the unknown that it is extremely important."
The three-time All-Pro who made the playoffs four times with the Steelers and who signed a contract extension with the Jets added: "It's extremely important."
Davis returns for a third go-round with the Green & White, the team that selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft in 2012. After three productive seasons to start his NFL career, Davis signed with Cleveland in free agency, was traded back to the Jets before he left for New Orleans in free agency where he was a stalwart in the middle of the Saints' defense.
Davis has had more than 100 tackles in each of his last 9 seasons (143 last season) and remains one of the best run-stopping linebackers in the league.
"I believe in so much of what's being built here under the leadership of Aaron Glenn, a.k.a. AG," Davis said "Anyone who would talk to you about being part of a great organization would tell you it's about the people. Great leaders can either bring in the right people, curate the right environment, or build the right people."
He added: "Once my agents let me know the Jets were an option, it was a no-brainer. I didn't even need a conversation with him [Glenn] to get on board, to see what he's building here with the culture. There's just a ton of excitement."
Overall on defense, the Jets have added eight players -- five in the front seven, three in the secondary. The team also re-signed S Andre Cisco and LB Mykal Walker, and exercised exclusive tender rights on DL Jowon Briggsand LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball.
Elsewhere on the defense:
D-Line
DT David Onyemata (6-4, 310) was one of Demario Davis' teammates on the Saints when Aaron Glenn was on the New Orleans coaching staff. Over his 10 NFL seasons, Onyemata, 33, has appeared in 154 games (115 starts) and recorded 401 total tackles, 86 QBH, 49 TFL and 31 sacks. Last season with the Falcons he had a career-high 62 tackles, playing 634 defensive snaps, the second-highest number mark of his career. Another newcomer to the line is T'Vondre Sweat (6-4, 366), who was acquired from Tennessee in the trade for Jermaine Johnson. Sweat, 24, was selected by the Titans No. 38 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He played in all 17 games his rookie season and had 51 total tackles (22 solo), a sack and 4 TFL. An ankle injury limited him to 12 games last season.
The newcomers join Harrison Phillips, Jowon Briggs, Mazi Smith, Payton Page and Eric Watts in the mix in the trenches.
LB/Edge
With the veteran Demario Davis in the middle of the second line of defense, the Jets went out and signed a pair of young, but experienced players at edge -- Joseph Ossai, 25, and Kingsley Enagbare, 26.
With Cincinnati last season, Ossai (6-0, 263) had 116 total tackles, 44 QBH and 14.5 sacks across four seasons -- including a career-high 5 sacks in each of the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Last season he played a career-high 616 defensive snaps and logged 71 snaps on special teams. According to Pro Football Focus, Ossai was the 15th best run stopper among edge rushers with at least 500 snaps last season.
Last year Enagbare (6-4, 258) played in 17 games (7 starts) in his third season with the Packers and set career highs with 4.5 sacks and 39 tackles.
In addition to the newcomers, the holdovers at edge are Will McDonald IV, Tyler Baron and Braiden McGregor; and inside LB Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa, Mykal Walker and Marcelino McCrary-Ball.
Backfield
The trade for S Minkah Fitzpatrick was a kind of icing on the cake after the Jets made free agent moves for CB Nahshon Wright and S Dane Belton, each of whom signed one-year deals with the Green & White.
Wright, 27, had a strong season after he signed a one-year deal with Chicago after being traded and spending most of the 2024 season on Minnesota's practice squad. He was a third-round selection of the Cowboys in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oregon State. With the Bears last season Wright (6-4, 199) appeared in all 17 regular-season games (16 starts), had 11 PDs, 5 INTs (tied for the league lead among CBs), 2 FFs and 3 FR. Those 8 total takeaways were the most in the NFL last season.
Belton (6-1, 190) was selected by the Giants in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In four seasons with the team, he appeared in 66 regular-season games (22 starts) and 2 postseason games, totaling 240 tackles, 8 TFL, 16 PD, 6 INTs and 4 forced fumbles. Belton, 25, played a career-high 705 defensive snaps last season and is expected to contribute on special teams
The newcomers join a group that includes cornerbacks Brandon Stephens, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Azareye'h Thomas, a quickly developing Qwan'tez Stiggers and Jordan Clark; and safeties Malachi Moore (entering his second season), Andre Cisco (who re-signed with the club), Jarius Monroe and Dean Clark.
Special Teams
The Jets moved quickly after veteran placekicker Nick Folk signed in free agency with Atlanta, signing strong-legged Cade York, who will compete for the job after stops in Cleveland, Washington and Cincinnati. The team also, reportedly, plans to re-sign KR/RB Kene Nwangwu (6-1, 210), who averaged 33.6 yards on his 18 kick returns including a 99-yard return for a score in a 27-20 win over the Browns on Nov. 9. He played in 12 games, appearing in 108 special teams snaps and 28 snaps on offense.
One of the constants on special teams has been long snapper (and holder) Thomas Hennessy, who will be entering his 10th season in Green & White. Also returning is second-year punter Austin McNamara, who landed 32 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line.
