The golden opportunity presented to Darron Lee in 2018

Heading into the upcoming season, linebacker Darron Lee continues to be a player on the rise thanks to some extra responsibilities on the New York Jets.

When linebacker Demario Davis bolted via free agency, it left a big void on the New York Jets defense. Davis was not only a productive defender but was the quarterback of the defense. Davis was the one calling all the defensive plays and making adjustments when needed. With Davis out of the picture, all eyes turn to linebacker Darron Lee to get the job done and also step into a vocal leadership role.

Lee is entering his third season with the Jets and has a golden opportunity presented to him. So far during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, Lee has been vocal and making the majority of defensive calls in positional drills as per Rich Cimini of ESPN. The Jets believe in him and trust him with this golden opportunity to showcase his skill set both in production and leadership.

This is a great look for Lee as he’s looking to continue growing as a linebacker and future leader in the locker room. Of course, he must have the stats to prove it as last year, he showed signs of brilliance while continue to hone his craft as a top linebacker.

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Last season, Lee totaled 67 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. If Lee can pick up where he left off from, he should be able to not only replace Davis in that role but also prove that he’s more than capable of being an impact player on defense.

Lee needs to continue to push the envelope and also do his part to bolster the overall pass rush on the Jets defense. It’s been lackluster the past few years but hopefully, he is able to thrive in this new role and put the defense in a position to do well and deliver. Taking down quarterbacks and causing big turnovers is the name of the game.

It won’t be easy for Lee and the Jets defense but so far, he’s embracing this new role well and for such a young player with a lot of potential, the sky is the limit for everything he brings to the table. If he’s able to have a breakout season for the Jets, it would be huge for the franchise and his continued development.