Demario Davis' thoughts on Jets return are exactly what fans want to hear

The New York Jets are getting the band back together in 2026, as they brought back former second-round pick Geno Smith to be their new starting quarterback and paid a hefty price to convince Demario Davis to make the move to New York. 2026 will begin Davis' third stint with the team.

Davis, who made nearly a half-dozen All-Pro teams with the New Orleans Saints, is still a very effective linebacker at age 37. With the Jets fielding a young team and a defense that has many new moving parts attached to it, getting someone with Davis' battle scars and solid-gold veteran leadership may be the difference between being competitive and another lost season.

Davis said that he "never thought in a million years" that he would embark on three different stints with the Jets, but he conceded that Florham Park is "where I'm meant to be." The former Arkansas State product isn't shying away from expecting improvement, saying that this roster has a good mix of young talent and established veterans who can compete at the highest level.

Demario Davis speaks as he begins third stint with Jets

One of those players Davis believes can help get this team turned around is a former Saints teammate of his, defensive lineman David Onyemata. Davis, without a shred of hyperbole, said that Onyemata is one of the top-five best run defenders he has ever played with, saying that he "makes a noticeable difference" on the field.

Davis got his start in New York as a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. After four solid seasons, he signed with the Cleveland Browns in free agency, then was traded back to the Jets in exchange for a bust first-round pick, Calvin Pryor. Davis' career blossomed in New Orleans, and now he has to get the Jets off the mat.

After realizing that Jamien Sherwood is not someone who can be at the very heart of an NFL defense, the Jets paid a premium to Davis so Sherwood can move back to a complementary role. Davis joins Onyemata, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Joseph Ossai as offseason acquisitions who could boost what was a lackluster defense last season.

Very few linebackers across NFL history at age 37 are even in the league, and even fewer still remain one of the more effective performers at their position. Davis' prime may have been spent with the Saints, but his second home in New York is excited to see what Act 3 will bring.

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