The New York Jets are entering the summer with major question marks along the interior of their defensive line. Outside of star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the team lacks established talent or long-term options at the position.
That uncertainty could open the door for a surprise name to make the 53-man roster — or find himself on the chopping block entirely.
One of the players fighting for his NFL future is former Alabama standout Phidarian Mathis, a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft who the Jets quietly claimed off waivers late last season.
Mathis didn’t appear in a game for the Jets in 2024, but with a wide-open competition brewing this summer, he has a legitimate shot to stick around. Of course, it won’t be easy.
Mathis’ short NFL career has been marred by injuries and inconsistencies, and this summer could serve as a last-ditch effort to prove he still belongs. If he fails to impress, it might be the end of the road.
Phidarian Mathis is fighting for his NFL future with the NY Jets this summer
Mathis was once viewed as a rising star at Alabama, anchoring the Crimson Tide's defensive line and earning second-team All-SEC honors in his final season. That helped make him the 47th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by Washington, but his pro career quickly went off the rails.
Mathis tore the meniscus in his left knee during his NFL debut, sidelining him for his entire rookie year. A calf injury caused him to miss the first two months of the 2023 season, and by the time he returned to the field, Mathis failed to make an impact.
Across two "full" seasons in Washington, Mathis struggled mightily. He earned a woeful 42.7 Pro Football Focus grade in 2023, including a brutal 32.2 run defense mark. Somehow, things got even worse in 2024.
Mathis posted a near-bottom-of-the-league 32.3 overall PFF grade with a 29.0 run defense grade, ranking 139th out of 140 qualified interior defensive linemen. His inability to hold up against the run made him borderline unplayable despite occasional flashes as a pass rusher.
Still, there’s reason to believe the Jets see something in him. When Washington waived Mathis this past December, the Jets were one of four teams that put in a claim, beating out the Lions, Bengals, and Texans.
That kind of league-wide interest suggests teams still believe in the traits that once made Mathis a top-50 pick. The Jets clearly felt he was worth a flier, and he’ll enter training camp with a real shot to win one of the final spots on the roster.
It helps that the defensive tackle depth chart behind Quinnen Williams is a free-for-all. Veterans Derrick Nnadi, Byron Cowart, and Jay Tufele were brought in to compete for snaps, while 2024 UDFA Leonard Taylor III showed promise last year. Undrafted rookies Payton Page and Fatorma Mulbah are also in the mix.
There’s no clear pecking order outside of Williams, meaning Mathis has an opportunity, but if he can’t show growth, especially in run defense, his NFL career could be over before it ever really started.
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