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."