Demario Davis and Minkah Fitzpatrick just fixed Jets' biggest defensive issue

It was a jammed-packed first day of free agency for Darren Mougey and the New York Jets. The focus was clear, and that was to rebuild the defense. It started with a trade and continued with five more defensive signings to bring the total to six new players joining the Jets on defense.

Among the free agent defensive additions were Joseph Ossai, Kingsley Enagbare, David Onyemata, and Dane Belton. Ossai and Enagbare provide much-needed depth on the edge, while Onyemata comes in as a steady veteran for the interior of the defensive line. Belton, 25, provides greater depth at safety.

The two biggest moves of the day, though, are the additions of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Demario Davis. Fitzpatrick comes with great value as a seventh-round pick, which was enough to pry the All-Pro safety away from Miami while Davis begins his third stint with the Jets.

The impact that Fitzpatrick and Davis make on the field is huge; the two are standout players at their positions. The impact, though, as leaders on and off the field, is just as important for this Jets team as they enter 2026.

Demario Davis and Minkah Fitzpatrick provide much-needed leadership to Jets' defense

It's no secret how bad the 2025 Jets were, but specifically on the defensive side of the ball. New York finished the season with the 25th total defense in the NFL and set a new record low in takeaways forced with just four on the season.

The Jets also managed to go all 17 games without an interception, becoming the first team in NFL history to do so. This led to Aaron Glenn moving on from Steve Wilks with three games left in the season, which proved to change nothing. Simply put, it was a disaster.

As Glenn enters the 2026 season, he knows, and everyone else knows, that wins need to come more often this season than last year. Significant improvement from coaching down to the players on the field needs to be shown.

With Glenn calling plays in 2026, in a lot of ways, he is putting this defense into his hands, and this free agency has shown that he is getting his guys. Not only are Davis and Fitzpatrick extremely talented players at their respective positions, but their outstanding leaders.

The Jets didn't have enough of those players in 2025. Between Davis and Fitzpatrick, the two bring 22 years of NFL experience to this Jets defense, which is desperately needed.

Is anyone saying this defense is going to be elite in 2026? No. However, these moves significantly raise the floor of what this team can do and provide much-needed stability.

The 37-year-old linebacker is the captain of the defense who will wear the green dot and lead the way for Glenn and the Jets. The absence of C.J. Mosley was on full display last year as Jamien Sherwood struggled mightily; Davis fills that gap again.

A lot of coaches find their elite linebackers who are also great leaders. For Bill Parcells, it was Bryan Cox; for Rex Ryan, it was Bart Scott; and for Aaron Glenn, it's going to be Demario Davis.

As for Fitzpatrick, he joins a young safety room and instantly becomes a mentor for players like Malachi Moore and newly acquired Dane Belton. He will also be a pivotal voice on the field as someone who is extremely versatile.

Last season, Glenn didn't find and bring in any of his guys, but now that he is running this defense, Davis and Fitzpatrick come in and fill the void right away.