Jets may have some defensive line reinforcements on the horizon in David Onyemata

The defensive line has been a major problem for the New York Jets this season. Some of that has been due to bad play, but you can also chalk a lot of that up to injuries as well. Both T'Vondre Sweat and David Onyemata have now missed games due to physical ailments.

Sweat, now on injured reserve with a knee injury, is the Jets' best defensive tackle, full stop. New York's run defense has been night and day since he's been out of the lineup, and the sooner he gets back, the better for Aaron Glenn's unit.

But it seems like they may be getting Onyemata back at some point in the future, too. The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported that the veteran defensive tackle made his return to the practice field on Friday for the first time since his injury.

Onyemata, who suffered a groin injury in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers, underwent core muscle surgery to get it fixed. There was hope he would be able to return before the end of the season and it looks like that's going to come to fruition.

Where David Onyemata can help the New York Jets

Onyemata was brought in this past offseason to help bolster the Jets' rather weak interior defensive line depth and, before his injury, was likely in line for a decent-sized role. In those first two games, he played 44% of New York's defensive snaps.

He's not exactly known as a run-stuffer, but his pass-rush chops on the interior would've been a major help for a defense that really struggles to get after opposing quarterbacks.

Onyemata didn't play enough snaps to get a Pro Football Focus grade that ranks with his peers, but his pass-rush grade of 70.3 is something that New York has sorely missed over the last six games.

Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs have taken some large step backs in 2026, and playing increased reps without the likes of Onyemata and Sweat in the mix has surely not helped them.

One thing that the return of Onyemata should affect is the larger role for rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. The Florida State standout has been one of the bigger surprises of the season from Darren Mougey's 2026 NFL Draft class, and he needs to keep playing.

Regardless, the re-integration of Onyemata should only help a struggling Jets defense, and his impending return is a positive development.

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