As defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary, to be reborn is to “exist or become active again”. If something or somebody has to exist or become active again, chances are it is a rough time or situation. The presumption being that one had not been existing or, completely dead if put into laymen’s terms.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the 2021 New York Jets defense. Sadly, the 11+ guys we trotted out week after week to put it nicely, failed to exist.
Listen, to call the defensive unit in ’21 anything other than an utter embarrassment would just be putting lipstick on a pig. Whichever way you paint it, the New York Jets defense was a sorry bunch in 2021.
New coach, new system, young players, injuries – yes, I get it. Those factors still do not mask that the Jets defense in 2021 could not stop a nosebleed. The Swiss cheese defense that Robert Salah and Jeff Ulbrich fielded last season lost eight games by 15+ points with five of those losses by 20 or more.
Gross. It could not get any worse.
Surprisingly, if you look hard enough there is a clear benefit that comes from our 2021 defensive fiasco. You see, true beauty lies in hitting a bottom – if you hold on to hope, you know that there is nowhere to go but up.
The hope lies in the wholesale changes made in the off-season. These changes were of paramount importance if this team was going to take the step from bottom feeders to respectable. The third year of the rebuild is here, and Joe Douglas is out of excuses.
Let’s look at the additions and subtractions from this off-season and compare it to what we fielded in 2021. The comparison should clearly present the factors that support the idea of this defensive resurrection.
DEFENSIVE LINE
2021 starters: John Franklin-Myers, Bryce Huff, Foley Fautukasi, Quinnen Williams
2021 key reserves: Sheldon Rankins, Ronald Blair, Shaq Lawson, Nathan Sheppard, Kyle Phillips
2022 starters: Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Solly Thomas, Quinnen Williams
2022 key reserves: Sheldon Rankins, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, Nathan Sheppard, Michael Clemons
First and foremost, the crux of the improved defense in 2022 starts with a healthy Carl Lawson. Lawson provides that much needed jolt of pressure off the edge, something the Jets lacked in 2021. We all know that Robert Salah’s defensive scheme is predicated on getting pressure with the front four D-linemen.
So far in these early stages of this season, pressure is exactly what Lawson has provided. PFF has Lawson with a 74.1 pass rush grade to date. He has logged 6 pressures and 3 QB knockdowns to go with 0.5 sack and 5 total tackles.
All this, while only lining up for 57% of the defensive snaps.
Sure, he has not been very stout versus the run, but that is not why Carl Lawson gets paid. He gets paid to get to and harass the QB. So far, there is nobody better in the Jets front seven at pressuring the quarterback.
Looking at the depth of the D-line now as opposed to 2021, we can see a lot more viable talent and positional flexibility. JFM, Solly Thomas and Michael Clemons can all bounce inside or outside depending on the formation. The Jets now can match up very well against any front the opposition lines up.
Edge rushers Shaq Lawson and Ronald Blair have been replaced with the younger and much more dynamic duo of Jermaine Johnson and Jacob Martin. Hard not to scream “W” when comparing the depth on the edge.
Solly Thomas has played well so far in the 40% of snaps he has seen. Thomas, along with Q, who has taken his game to another level in the first two games adequately makes up for the loss of Foley Fautukasi, the Jets best the run defender in 2021.
Advantage = 2022 team, hands down.
LINEBACKERS
2021 starters: CJ Mosely, Quincy Williams, Jarrod Davis
2021 key reserves: Hamsah Nasirildeen, Del‘Shawn Phillips, Blake Cashman
2022 starters: CJ Mosely, Quincy Williams, Kwon Alexander
2021 key reserves: Jamien Sherwood, Marcell Harris,
A lot of the same faces in starting roles with CJ and Quincy Williams running it back another year. After two games, CJ and Quincy have played…like CJ and Quincy.
There have been a few memorable big hits paired with a few blown assignments from Quincy. In the last year of his $2.54 million dollar deal, it would not surprise me one bit if the Jets decide to move on in 2023.
Quincy is a middle-of-the-road player – nothing more and nothing less. Statistically, his game – especially versus the run – has taken a significant hit in 2022.
The Jets can utilize that cap savings by allowing second year player Jamien Sherwood a little more run next year. Sherwood saw time in 5 games last season before tearing his Achilles in week five. If his pre-season play holds any depth and weight, Sherwood is ready for some meaningful defensive snaps.
CJ Mosely mans the middle once again and, truth be told Father Time may be getting the best of him. After 2 games, CJ looks a step slower in both his reads and reactions. Known as a stalwart in his storied career versus the run, CJ has not known shown that thump and vigor he has in years past.
A restructure of CJ’s contract almost assures that he’ll return in 2023, so let’s hope we see an uptick in his production now in 2022. After two weeks, PFF has Mosely graded out as 50th out of 77 qualified linebackers overall. His 53.8 grade needs to improve.
The biggest improvement in the LB room lies with the transition from Jarrod Davis to Kwon Alexander. Plain and simple, Jarrod Davis was awful last year. It would be hard not to improve on what he brought to the defensive. Enter stage left, Kwon Alexander.
Kwon had an excellent game week one versus the Ravens. Aggressive and fearless against the run, Kwon was a big reason the Jets were able to keep Lamar Jackson and the vaunted Baltimore running game in check.
Kwon has the wherewithal to be a three-down LB in Robert Salah’s scheme – a scheme is intimately familiar with from his time with the 49ers. Kwon’s overall PFF grade of 64.5 is currently his highest grade since 2017.
At only 28 years old, he just might be playing himself into a contract extension. Kwon has played head and shoulders better than any other LB on the defense for the Jets this season. If the productivity continues, I expect to see an uptick in his 40% snap count.
Advantage = it is close, but I’ll give the nod to 2022 squad solely due to the play of Kwon.
SAFTIES
2021 starters: Marcus Maye, Ashton Davis
2021 key reserves: Elijah Riley, Jason Pinnock, Jarrod Wilson, Will Parks
2022 starters: Jordan Whitehead, Lamarcus Joyner
2022 key reserves: Ashton Davis, Tony Adams, Will Parks
On paper, it is hard not to see more talent from top to bottom in the safety room. The signing of Jordan Whitehead and the return of LaMarcus Joyner from injury alleviate Robert Salah from running out safeties that were signed off of some trash heap close to East Rutherford.
Unfortunately, after two weeks some Jets fans have been clamoring for the trash to return. Both Whitehead and Joyner have played pretty bad – both grading out as bottom 5 safeties from all qualified candidates after week 2.
Whitehead, known as a rugged box-safety has not played well. After two weeks, Whitehead is leading the team in missed tackles and the culprit of blown assignments in both the Ravens and browns games that resulted in easy touchdown receptions for our opponents.
It may be the ankle injury that he is nursing or the adjustment to a new scheme, but the Jordan Whitehead that has not been the player that we expected. The production needs to match the talent level.
Starting FS Lamarcus Joyner has been even worse than his starting counterpart. The first two weeks have not gone swimmingly for the cagey veteran. Things have been so bad that I’ve seen Jets Twitter call for UDFA Tony Adams to play, they have called for Will Parks to be brought up from the P/S (which he was, but not for defensive snaps).
Some have even called for an olive branch to be waived at Jamal Adams in hopes that he changes his tune and comes back to the Jets.
Ok, that last one is a lie, but you get the point.
Joyner has done absolutely nothing to win over this ornery fan base. A PFF defensive grade of 29.1 after two weeks leaves him dead last out of all the eligible safeties, so my guess he hasn’t done much to win over his coaches and teammates either.
Wow, never thought I’d miss anyone from the 2021 defense, but here we are.
Marcus Maye was very good for the Jets prior to his season ending injury. People seem to forget that he was the 2020 defensive MVP.
Jason Pinnock was the future – transitioning from CB to S. There was some learning yet to do but he showed promise.
Hell, even Elijah Riley had a good story and made some plays on the field when it counted. That is more than I can say for Joyner or Whitehead so far.
Wrapping my head around the idea that our safeties are this bad is something I’m not quite able to do. Something has to give. Improvements from the starters is needed, their proverbial “starting safety” seats are warming up by the minute.
Advantage sadly goes to the 2021 crew.
CORNERBACKS
2021 starters: Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, Michael Carter II
2021 key reserves: Javelin Guidry, Rachad Wildgoose, Justin Hardee
2022 starters: DJ Reed, Ahmad Gardner, Michael Carter II
2021 key reserves: Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols, Justin Hardee
Talk about a complete overhaul? It is rare to see 2 starters from a season prior relegated to back-up duty, but that is the reality for Gang Green in 2022.
The Jets starting corners are now cooking with some heat. So far, the payoff has been a quite a handsome one.
Sauce Gardner, the number four overall pick this past April and our big money free agent signing DJ Reed have lived up to the hype.
After two weeks, PFF grades Reed as the sixth best at his position out of 102 qualifiers and Sauce comes in respectfully at 40 out of 102. Both Sauce and Reed give the back end of the Gang Green defense a much-needed boost and engage each rep with that true shutdown mentality.
This is something that Jets fans have not witnessed since the days of Revis and Cromartie. Not much more has to be said about this duo – they are the real deal. A big “W” for the Jets now and for the future.
MCII has continued his to shine in his role. A very under-the-radar performer, MCII just shows up and shuts the opposition’s slot receiver down. All business all the time. Gotta love that.
Last year’s starters have been designated to reserve roles and last year’s reserves (Guidry and Wildgoose) are both currently unemployed. If nothing more, this is a very telling aspect of how improved the CB room is.
Advantage = 2022 team, and by a huge margin.
So, has this defense really been reborn?
All the additions, all the hoopla, all the banter back and forth in the Jets Twitter-sphere and after two weeks, the Jets still rank out as a bottom-tier unit.
The unit as a whole carries much better talent. They are younger, more explosive and offer the ability to positively affect a game more so than their counterparts from last year. Playmakers, that is what we have yearned for.
Jeff Ulbrich and Robert Salah still have something to prove to us Jets fans. Joe Douglas has done an outstanding job scouring far and wide for talent. Joe has delivered on his part – now our defensive minded coaches need to step up.
The “bend, but don’t break mentality” both coaches have been wearing like a badge of honor must be laid to rest. Last year, they had no choice. That was last year, we are different now.
Coach the hell out of these guys, scheme up the defense to mask any deficiencies. Lead these men to become a unit that is not sniffing around the bottom of the barrel.
The bottom is where the dead reside. That is not us anymore. We have been reborn.
Oh, how dark it was before the dawn…
Let’s go Jets…
Awesome Dom C!!! Another fantastic article. I agree on all points, especially in regards to linebackers, Sherwood needs to be playing!
Top site ,.. amazaing post ! Just keep the work on !