Among the many savvy trades, signings and draft picks made the last couple of years by Jets GM Darren Mougey, the acquisition of DL Jowon Briggs from Cleveland late last August perhaps went under the radar but paid immediate dividends and has the potential to pay off even more this season.

"Any chance I get to expand my football repertoire, it's always open arms," Briggs told team reporter Eric Allen on an edition of "The Official Jets Podcast." "I mean, it's just a good challenge, because the more I know about football, this is Year 3 for me, the more I know, the more I can do. And it's as simple as that for how I look at it."

If Briggs, from that limited snippet, comes across as smart and thoughtful, it's because the Browns' seventh round selection (No. 243 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft is all of that ... and a lot more.

In addition to his talent on the gridiron, Briggs has a unique musical proficiency with a number of instruments: the recorder, piano, violin, viola, cello, bass (double and guitar), guitar (acoustic and electric), saxophone, flute and harmonica.

During his college days at Virginia, Briggs, a tenor, was part of the University Singers, a chamber choir, and the Hullabaloos, an a cappella group. He also sang "The Star Spangled Banner" before basketball games at Virginia and later at the University of Cincinnati, in his hometown.

"My dad used to tell me when I was younger that enough is not enough, and it was never a negative thing," he said. "It was always just letting me know, hey, 'I realized that you've done this and you've done whatever successfully, but don't get stagnant, that's not enough.'

"I always felt as if what I was doing, or what I've done -- sacks, TFL, pressures, starting however many games was never enough, so I'm always at that internal competition with myself. I'm never ever looking at what somebody said. I might have short arms, that's neither here nor there. All I try to make sure is that when you cut on the tape, am I winning the rep."

Stout (6-1) and powerful (313 pounds), Briggs saw only limited action with Cleveland in his rookie season, appearing in 6 games while also spending time on the practice squad. Given an opportunity last season with the Green & White, he played in all 17 games (8 starts) and had 51 total tackles, 4 sacks, 9 TFL, a forced fumble and a recovery.

This offseason, Mougey and the Jets have added depth and experienced players to the mix on the D-line, which give HC Aaron Glenn, who will call plays this season, the flexibility to mix and match schemes and personnel. Briggs returns, most notably along with Harrison Phillips and Will McDonald IV, a group augmented by the signing of veterans Joseph Ossai, David Onyemata and Kingsley Enagbare, a trade for T'Vondre Sweat and the drafting of David Bailey (No. 2 overall) and Darrell Jackson Jr. in April.

Briggs had some interesting insights on some of his current, and one former teammate (edge Myles Garrett), who was recently involved in a blockbuster trade:

• Myles Garrett: "Shoot, I mean being able to play with Myles, it was a pleasure being able to learn. I mean, there's not many guys you could go ahead and say, 'Oh yeah, I mean, I learned from the greatest pass rusher in the league at that time when I was at the Browns.' It's a beautiful thing. ... He's an intellectual individual. He's just a freak of an athlete."
• Demario Davis: "You think about a 'backer nerve center and man, there he is. I have my iPad and I study different interior guys and defenses. ... And Demario just kept popping up and I'm like, man, who was number 56 for the Saints?"
• T'Vondre Sweat: "That guy is a man, it's hard to put in the words. ... That guy has the makings of anything he could want to be."
• David Onyemata: "He's got a knack for knowing where the ball is at. I'll say the same thing about Harry [Phillips]. ... Just being able to learn from two veteran guys is something that I really, really, really can't say is too great."
• Kingsley Engabare and Joseph Ossai: "They came in with a freaking lunch pail mentality. ... Just good guys and they know exactly what they're doing, and, like I said, it's exciting,"

Briggs said he's excited to do his part working with Glenn and the team's new DC Brian Duker.

"I mean, there's something about that [playing defense] that's just intrinsic violence when it comes to freaking defensive ball, and Coach AG exemplifies that," Briggs said. "I mean, if you want a guy that's going to make you want go out there and run with your hair on fire, just a whole defensive staff, that's AG, Duker, [D-line] Coach [Kevin] Dunbar. Man, I can't wait."