Hype is already mounting about the Jets’ next superstar pass-rusher

Anyone who has sunk their teeth into a “Madden” franchise knows the fun of finding unexpected superstars amid a rebuild.

The New York Jets are clearly banking on Joseph Ossai to leave an impact far greater than that of a video game avatar.

Ossai, a 2021 Bengals third-round pick, joined the Jets on a three-year contract earlier this spring.

Although Ossai only started 12 games in four years with the Bengals, that didn’t stop the Jets from giving the All-American pass-rusher $22 million in guaranteed money.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando praised the Jets for signing Ossai and former Packers edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare amid their rebuild.

Ossai and Enagbare will both play the entire season at 26 years old.

“Those moves helped offset some of the age added to the defense with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Demario Davis,” Sando wrote.

Jets fans should be amped about Joseph Ossai’s arrival

Admittedly, the comparison I’m about to make isn’t exactly a perfect match.

Yet, the Jets landing Ossai reminds me of when the Bengals added Trey Hendrickson in 2021.

Hendrickson had flashed in his first three seasons with the Saints before breaking out for 13 ½ sacks in his contract year.

The penny-pinching Bengals saw more than enough to uncharacteristically give Hendrickson $32 million guaranteed over four years.

Hendrickson more than outperformed that contract, racking up 57 sacks (as well as 3 ½ during the 2021 Super Bowl run) in that span.

As for Ossai, he had five sacks each of the last two years.

We must also note that Hendrickson is a prototypical defensive end, whereas Ossai is an edge rusher.

To be clear, none of this is suggesting that Ossai is guaranteed to become a perennial double-digit sack player.

But for an organization that regularly gets so many free agent signings wrong, this one feels destined to succeed.

Between Ossai, Enagbare, David Bailey, and Will McDonald, the Jets are counting on a youth movement to reinvigorate their defense and make opposing quarterbacks miserable.

Seeing as nothing else has worked over the last decade, it’s hard to fault the Jets here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow