The Jets made the right move re-signing Henry Anderson

Yesterday, it was reported by Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News that the New York Jets had agreed to terms on a three-year, $25.2 million deal to re-sign defensive lineman Henry Anderson.

With news breaking from ESPN’s Adam Schefter early Wednesday morning that the New York Jets had agreed to a blockbuster four-year $52.5 million deal with star running back Le’Veon Bell, the re-signing of defensive lineman Henry Anderson has become a bit overshadowed, but it remains a great deal made by the Jets nonetheless.

During the 2018 NFL Draft, the Jets agreed to send a seventh-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for the 27-year-old Anderson and it turned out to be one of the best trades general manager Mike Maccagnan has made during his tenure with the green and white.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at around 300 pounds, Anderson, who played his collegiate ball at Stanford, was drafted by the Colts in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, though he was no longer of use to the team given that they had switched to a 4-3 defensive scheme.

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The Jets, however, who have long run a 3-4 defense, felt as if Anderson could possibly provide some much-needed help in regards to rushing the passer. And that he did, as he totaled 16 quarterback hits and tied for the team lead in sacks with seven despite getting double-teamed on 60 percent of snaps according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In addition, he quite possibly served as the team’s best defensive lineman for the duration of the 2018 NFL season.

Obviously, the Jets are still in desperate need of pass-rushing help, specifically off of the edge, after linebacker Anthony Barr backed out of his agreement with the team and elected to return to the Minnesota Vikings. The team could look to target the position in the draft, or perhaps add another free agent, but that remains to be seen, which is why it made sense to bring back Anderson who proved he could make an impact this past season.

In addition, it’s important to note that the Jets will remain in a 3-4 base under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams despite many expecting the team to switch to a 4-3. With that being said, Anderson’s already proved that he can succeed in the scheme and with an aggressive and creative mind like Williams at the helm, his production could potentially increase from here on out.

Because of this, re-signing him was a no-brainer for the Jets.