Much like his rookie teammates on defense -- S Malachi Moore and CB Azareye'h Thomas -- Jets DL Jowon Briggs is bear-hugging his opportunity in the middle of the line.

"As a rotational guy, well, as a guy that started as rotational guy, it would kind of be a disservice for me to not try to fit with everybody, because then I'd be limited myself on the field, if I can only work with whomever, and I can't go out there with the other guys," Briggs said as he prepared to face the Dolphins and their high-powered run game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. "So, I just kind of tried, even being in that rotational role, to be able to understand how guys rush, understand how guys see the game, to try to complement, and that's something that guys who are also not in rotational roles have been doing now, too. So things kind of fit a little smoother now. Just being able to work with Harry [Harrison Phillips] and being able to work with really much all the other D-tackles is something that we're kind of delving into here pretty good."

Briggs, 24, like Phillips, came to the Jets in smart August trades and now find themselves at the interior heart of the defense. With the trade of Quinnen Williams to Dallas, Briggs has emerged as an important cog in the rotational wheel of DC Steve Wilks. Briggs was acquired with a seventh-round pick in a trade with Cleveland in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2026.

Briggs, who has appeared in 12 games, has experienced a steady increase in his snap counts, and his 14.1% pressure rate is the second highest among all defensive tackles this season. Since the Jets' Week 10 win over Cleveland (the team that selected him in the seventh round, No. 243 overall, in the 2024 NFL Draft), he has seen his snap count increase from 41.1% against the Browns to a season-high 65.2% against the Falcons last Sunday.

Asked what Briggs has brought to the team, on Thursday Wilks said: "Well, I would really say just his ability to rush the passer. We knew what we had from a standpoint of big body [6-1, 313] in there stopping the run, but you see him rushing the passer. The one he had a couple of weeks ago [at Baltimore] where he just completely destroyed the guard with a bull rush and got to the quarterback. That's what I'm seeing consistently out of him now, so you try to find those matchups where he's one-on-one and go and be effective and try to get to the quarterback."

Through his 12 games with the Green & White, Briggs is tied with Jermaine Johnson for second on the team with 3 sacks. Will McDonald IV leads the club with 7. In addition, Briggs has 21 tackles (11 solo), 5 TFL (1 in each of the last two games), 7 QB hits (again, 1 in each of the last two games) and a forced fumble.

Since Week 8, Miami has a 4-1 record and ranks in the top 5 in the NFL in rush yards per game (145.6) and Briggs knows the defense will be challenged to contain RB De'Von Achane, who is currently No. 4 in the league with 1,034 yards (5.6 a carry).

"Miami does a good job of jumping their alignment through and trying to get to that second level," Briggs said.