Jets fill massive need with addition of former Raider Dylan Parham

The OL appears set.

Charlie Baduini

New York Jets guard Dylan Parham / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The New York Jets needed a new guard after the departures of Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson, and they've found one in former Las Vegas Raider Dylan Parham.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was first to report that the former third-round pick is signing a two-year deal worth up to $20 million. Parham figures to slot in at the left guard spot left vacant by Simpson.

Arguably, New York's biggest need after addressing both the quarterback and defense was on the offensive line, and they get a plug-and-play starter right as the new league year officially begins.

Jets solidify offensive line with Dylan Parham signing

Parham, the 90th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Memphis, is essentially the same player as Simpson, but younger. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the 38th-best guard in the NFL last season out of 81 qualified players.

A flexible offensive lineman, Parham has career starts at left guard, right guard, and center. He'll presumably be playing left guard in New York.

The former Raider is incredibly durable, too. In four seasons, Parham has only missed four games, and figures to be a steady presence on the Jets' offensive line. He'll be protecting quarterback Geno Smith for a second consecutive season.

With the signing, New York essentially has their offensive line set for the 2026 season. Their last two first-round picks, Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, bookend the tackle spots, while Parham, recently extended center Josh Myers, and 2023 draft pick Joe Tippmann start from left to right on the interior.

SNY's Connor Hughes provided clarity on the Parham contract, reporting that the deal essentially boils down to a two-year, $16 million deal with $7.49 million guaranteed. Still an investment, but not a pact that will prevent the Jets' eyes from wandering in the 2026 NFL Draft.

New York could look to take a swing at a Day 2 interior offensive line prospect, have him redshirt his rookie season, and compete with Parham heading into the 2027 season.

It likely takes the Jets out of the running for a guard with their first and second-round picks next month, but that's fine. There are more pressing needs to address anyway, like edge and wide receiver.

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini covers the New York Jets as a site expert for The Jet Press and FanSided. He is a sports journalist based in Northern New Jersey with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in print and broadcast journalism. Baduini’s byline can also be seen on Heavy and The Sporting News, where he covers several teams across the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured in Heavy, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and Yardbarker. He also serves as a seasonal intern for ESPN, working as a production assistant for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony every year since 2022. Baduini has been a Jets fan for as long as he can remember, with his family's fandom dating back to the 1960s when his grandfather, Louis, became a season ticket holder. His family has since held on to the tickets to this day. He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks and New York Mets.