Jamien Sherwood extension proves NY Jets finally learned this valuable lesson

The NY Jets have rewarded their homegrown star. ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Jets have re-signed linebacker Jamien Sherwood to a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million in guarantees.

The contract makes Sherwood a top-five highest-paid player at his position and is the exact same deal the Kansas City Chiefs gave to their star linebacker Nick Bolton earlier in the day.

Sherwood was arguably expected to be the top linebacker available in a weak free-agent market. At just 25 years old, the former Auburn standout was garnering significant interest around the league, and many assumed the Jets would ultimately be priced out.

In the end, general manager Darren Mougey got the deal done, marking his first significant move with the organization. Well-run football teams reward and retain their best players. The Jets just did that.

NY Jets reward Jamien Sherwood with three-year extension

For far too long, the Jets have failed to retain their homegrown talent, only to watch them thrive elsewhere. Defensive standouts like Damon Harrison, Leonard Williams, Foley Fatukasi, Demario Davis, and John Franklin-Myers were all developed in New York, only to reach even greater success after leaving.

Sherwood seemed destined to be the next player to join that unfortunate list. The former fifth-round pick stepped into a full-time starting role for the first time in 2024 and put together a breakout season.

Sherwood led the NFL in solo tackles while finishing with a Pro Football Focus grade of 73.8, which ranked ninth among all qualified linebackers (min. 700 snaps). He also finished fourth among linebackers with 59 run stops and missed just 10 percent of his tackles.

In an otherwise disappointing year for the Jets, Sherwood was one of the few bright spots. At just 25 years old, he's exactly the type of player teams should invest in.

A converted safety, he battled early-career injuries before finally breaking out when given a chance to start. That’s the kind of ascending talent the Jets need to keep around.

The $15 million AAV price tag is expensive and will raise questions about the future of Quincy Williams, who is severely underpaid. But it's hard to argue that this is anything other than a massive coup for the Jets.

The Jets followed the most straightforward blueprint for NFL success: they rewarded their homegrown stars. It’s a lesson they should have learned long ago — one the new regime wasted no time in correcting.

It truly is a new era in Florham Park.

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