NY Jets not expected to re-sign Tarell Basham this offseason

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Tarell Basham (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images)

The NY Jets are expected to overhaul much of their roster this offseason. And it seems as though one player that’s set to be a part of that overhaul is outside linebacker Tarell Basham.

Basham has spent the last two-and-a-half years with the Jets after being picked up off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts. And in that time, he’s developed into a quality part of the team’s pass-rush rotation.

However, it doesn’t appear as though the Jets are interested in keeping him around.

As reported by SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, the Jets are not interested in re-signing Basham, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

The NY Jets won’t be bringing back Tarell Basham

Basham started nine games in 2020 totaling a career-high 36 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He also finishes second on the team with 13 QB hits and three forced fumbles.

His performance helped him earn a 64.6 Pro Football Focus grade which ranked 59th out of all edge defenders in the NFL. Basham has been a quality player over the past two years and a worthwhile waiver-wire pickup.

Originally a third-round pick of the Colts in the 2017 NFL Draft, Basham didn’t even last two full years in Indianapolis before being waived. That’s when the Jets swooped in and claimed him off waivers in October of 2018.

Basham would play the final 10 games of the season with the Jets, primarily playing a special-teams role. He managed to crack the front-seven rotation in 2019 playing all 16 games and even making a pair of starts.

The soon-to-be 27-year-old has been a reliable, productive member of the pass-rush rotation. But with the Jets switching defensive schemes under new head coach Robert Saleh, it isn’t a surprise to see Basham go.

Basham does have experience playing as a 4-3 defensive end as he did so during his time at Ohio. That said, the Jets are clearly looking to reshape their edge-rush rotation this offseason and Basham isn’t in their plans.

The change in scheme will likely result in a number of front-seven players departing this offseason. Don’t expect holdovers like Jordan Jenkins, Frankie Luvu, and Neville Hewitt to return.

Tarell Basham is a quality player who will find a spot on another team’s roster. But it doesn’t look like that spot will be with the Jets.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.