With the NFL trading deadline looming, it's easy to forget that the Jets have already made three significant deals that are having an impact on the team, specifically the defense.

The first two were August acquisitions of DT Harrison Phillips from the Minnesota Vikings in a draft-pick swap and DL Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns for a seventh-round draft pick next year.

The third was GM Darren Mougey's trade for CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. from Tennessee, which included a swap of late-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Brownlee, 24, a fifth-round pick (No. 146 overall) of the Titans in 2024, has been nothing short of a revelation for the Green & White. He first dipped a toe into the Jets' defensive stew when he took 7 snaps (12%) in Week 5 against the Cowboys (he was injured and inactive in Weeks 3 and 4). Over the last three games -- Denver, Carolina and Cincinnati -- he's played 68% of the snaps in each of those games.

And now, with a bye in Week 9 before hosting Cleveland on Nov. 9, Brownlee is itching for more action, especially after the team's first victory of the season.

"You want to keep playing," he said. "You want to stack the days. That's good that we get a bye week off to rest our bodies. But I think we're just getting started.

"Guys got to go and take this bye week and really buy in and lock into how we want this season to end. You got to come back with that same intensity. We're 1 and 7 and we got 9 games left. And how can we win these 9 games out. Guys got to come back with the right intention and come right back into the building and get back to work."

By his work, Brownlee (5-10, 194) has earned notice and kudos from his teammates and the coaching staff. Across his 4 games with the Green & White, he has 19 total tackles (13 solo), a TFL, 2 passes defensed and a forced fumble -- the only takeaway by the defense so far this season.

"That's the reason why he's here," HC Aaron Glenn said. "And, again, I give a lot of credit to Moug [GM Darren Mougey] and our personnel department for seeking out the guys that really fit who we are and what we're trying to do as a team and that really has the traits that we're looking for when it comes to players, so I don't want to say I'm surprised, but I am happy that the things we thought that he can do he's out there doing for us to help us win games."

In the 39-38 win over the Bengals, after the Jets pulled to within 6 points, 38-32 with 8:01 left in the game, Cincinnati went three-and-out on its next possession and gave up the ball on downs on its final possession.

"You saw a defense with grit," Brownlee said. "You know, we [expletive] in the first half, we didn't play Jets defense. We give up 38 points, but when it came down to the game and we had to do what we're supposed to do. Guys were locked in, we held each other [accountable] and that's what you want to see in the defense.

"But we've got to start off like that. We got to start off fast. Guys got to get on the same page. The communication is the key. And in that first half, a lot of miscommunication. We just got to believe when we return."