Forgotten Jets free agent signing is suddenly turning heads at OTAs

It’s still early, but one of the most overlooked signings of the New York Jets’ offseason is already making waves at OTAs. Defensive end Rashad Weaver, a March free-agent addition, has quietly emerged as one of the standout performers of the Jets' voluntary offseason program.

The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt reported that Weaver recorded at least two sacks during Tuesday's practice, one against Justin Fields and another against Tyrod Taylor, while ESPN’s Rich Cimini also noted that Weaver "continues to flash" as a pass rusher.

It’s an encouraging sign for a player fighting to resurrect his NFL career and carve out a role in a wide-open Jets edge rush rotation. With Jermaine Johnson still recovering from a torn Achilles and few proven pass rushers behind him and Will McDonald, the door is open for someone to step up.

So far, Weaver seems intent on kicking it down.

"Rashad Weaver has had a nice day. Have him with at least two sacks, one against both Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. Dominated his reps on those plays too."

Zack Rosenblatt

Rashad Weaver is hoping to earn a NY Jets roster spot

Weaver’s NFL journey hasn’t exactly gone as planned since he entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2021. Injuries and inconsistencies have kept him from establishing any sort of continuity.

A broken fibula limited him to just two games as a rookie, but he returned in 2022 and looked like a potential breakout candidate. Weaver tallied 5.5 sacks while playing 58 percent of the Titans’ defensive snaps, flashing the upside that once made him a top prospect at Pittsburgh.

But just as quickly as his arrow pointed up, it leveled out. Tennessee added veteran pass rusher Arden Key in 2023 and got Harold Landry back from injury, pushing Weaver into a reserve role. He failed to record a single sack in 15 games.

His Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade dropped to a dismal 51.3, and he managed just seven total pressures on 130 pass-rush snaps. The Titans waived him the following August.

From there, he bounced between the Texans and Rams practice squads, appearing in only three games total and failing to register a single pressure. He hasn’t recorded a QB hit or a sack since 2022.

That’s the version of Weaver the Jets signed in March, a 27-year-old with potential but virtually no momentum. But that also means there’s zero pressure and everything to gain.

The Jets' pass-rush depth chart is full of question marks behind McDonald and the recovering Johnson. Micheal Clemons is uninspiring, rookie Tyler Baron is unproven, and undrafted free agents like Braiden McGregor and Eric Watts are still just fliers. That leaves the door wide open for someone like Weaver to crack the rotation.

The Jets aren’t asking him to be a savior, but if he can build on this strong OTA showing and bring some of that 2022 juice into the preseason, Weaver could be one of the surprise names to not only make the 53-man roster but contribute when the games start to count.

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