Demario Davis’ Jets return has given fans another reason to celebrate

For the first time in nearly a decade, veteran linebacker Demario Davis suited up in a New York Jets uniform on Friday night.

The 37-year-old Davis didn’t record a tackle in his brief action against the Buccaneers, though that may have been for the best. Whatever it takes to keep one of the league’s more durable linebackers on the field amid a prove-it season for Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey.

Davis, as he did with the Saints, led the pregame huddle, and the Jets’ content team was there to capture every word. The video had nearly 100,000 views on Twitter/X as of Saturday evening, and fans made it clear how much they missed the five-time All-Pro.

What should the New York Jets realistically expect from Demario Davis?

Davis continued to stuff the stat sheet in New Orleans last year, setting career highs in tackles (143) and forcing two fumbles for the first time since 2018. However, he's managed only 11 tackles for loss in the last two years, and his half-sack was his fewest since his 2012 rookie season. 

There are two best-case scenarios for Davis and the Jets, depending on how optimistic you feel going into the new year. Both scenarios obviously involve Davis staying healthy and playing at whatever high level is possible for a 37-year-old with so much mileage behind him.

However, there’s a discussion to be had about trading Davis ahead of the deadline. He signed a two-year contract with $15 million guaranteed this past offseason, so the Jets might need to eat some money in that case. But if we get to Week 7 and the Jets are already well out of the playoff hunt, then it’s not unreasonable to think a contender would be interested in Davis.

Davis turns 38 on Jan. 11, one day after the regular season ends. Then again, any team trading for him knows the age-related risks, and he’s only missed two games in his career. So they’d be betting on Davis providing stability even if he’s working on a reduced snap count.

But if the Jets are competitive even with an extremely difficult first few weeks, then Davis and management might feel compelled to maintain the status quo — and that’d certainly be ideal for the fanbase.

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