Jermaine Johnson is finally looking like himself again for the Jets

The New York Jets have waited a long time to see Jermaine Johnson look like himself again. After tearing his Achilles in Week 2 of the 2024 season, Johnson missed the remainder of the year and spent the offseason working his way back for a Week 1 return.

But Achilles injuries are notoriously difficult for edge rushers, who rely heavily on burst and lower-body explosiveness. It was always unlikely Johnson would immediately regain the Pro Bowl-caliber form he showed in 2023.

That reality was evident early in the season. Johnson flashed at times, but the consistency that defined his breakout season wasn’t quite there. He even battled an ankle injury that sidelined him for multiple games, which only further slowed his re-acclimation.

The Jets nearly even traded him at the deadline. But as the weeks have gone on, Johnson has only gotten closer and closer to his pre-injury form. Johnson is finally starting to resemble the ascending pass rusher he was before the injury, and that timing couldn’t be better for the Jets.

Jermaine Johnson is returning to his pre-injury form with the Jets

Over the last month, Johnson has quietly become one of the Jets’ most productive defensive players. He now leads the team — tied with Will McDonald — with 28 pressures despite appearing in only eight games this season.

Johnson has totaled 14 pressures over the last three weeks, which is tied for eighth among all NFL edge rushers in that span. He’s also recorded 11 quarterback hurries, the fourth-most in the league over that stretch. And after a slow start in the sack column, he has now registered a sack in two of his last three games.

This is exactly what you hope to see from a player returning from a torn Achilles. Explosiveness doesn’t return overnight, and Johnson wasn’t the 2023 version of himself early in the year. But the way he’s winning now suggests he’s moving in the right direction.

If the typical Achilles recovery trajectory holds, Johnson may not be fully back until 2026, but he’s getting closer each week. His resurgence could also carry major implications for the Jets’ long-term plans.

The team fielded trade calls at the deadline and could have moved him for a second-round pick (or more), but they opted to keep him. The Jets already picked up his fifth-year option for 2026, and while extension negotiations could happen this offseason, they’re far more likely to wait and see how fully he bounces back.

For now, what matters is that the arrow is pointing up. Jermaine Johnson isn’t all the way back yet, but the Jets are finally seeing flashes of the player he was becoming in 2023. That’s one of the most encouraging developments this defense has had all year.