Jets oddly urged to complete offseason with nonsensical signing

After years of working through some below-average defensive tackle rooms in the Robert Saleh era and suffering through a weak rotation last season, the New York Jets have placed an emphasis on getting bigger and deeper up front. The position went from a weakness to an area of strength thanks to a few impactful additions.

Trading Jermaine Johnson II for T'Vondre Sweat gave them a new nose tackle next to 2025 holdovers Jowon Briggs and Harrison Phillips. Free agent signing David Onyemata remains an extremely underrated veteran leader, and fourth-round rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. has the ability to eventually push his way into the starting lineup. That hasn't stopped some from willing a DT signing into existence.

ESPN's final offseason move that would complete this roster is bringing in yet another defensive tackle, in former Buffalo Bills tackle Larry Ogunjobi. At the risk of declaring the Jets to be too good for veteran players like him, Ogunjobi wouldn't make an impact in a crowded room.

Jets puzzlingly urged to sign free agent DT Larry Ogunjobi

Ogunjobi, who spent seven of his nine NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns or Pittsburgh Steelers, spent last season as a rotational backup with Buffalo. He only played 10 games due to a suspension that kicked in at the beginning of the season, and he was far from John Randle on the interior when he did play.

This could be a sign that the league is not quite as aware of how good Briggs was last season. His numbers in the eyes of Pro Football Focus were close to the Top 10 among defensive tackles in the NFL after the Quinnen Williams trade, and the former Browns seventh-round pick was only entering his third season.

Without Ogunjobi, the Jets can roll out a defensive line rotation that features Sweat, Briggs, and Onyemata in the starting lineup with Phillips and Jackson rotating in. With two edge rushers that aren't amazing at defending the run in Will McDonald and No. 2 overall pick David Bailey sharing the field, this rotation can pick up the slack on the interior.

If the Jets make a veteran addition in free agency before the season starts, it might make more sense to target a linebacker behind Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood or a safety that can lock down the second spot behind Minkah Fitzpatrick. Ogunjobi would be the No. 5 defensive tackle on the depth chart.

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