5 edge rushers NY Jets can sign after missing on Jadeveon Clowney

4. The NY Jets could Bud Dupree

Another well-traveled veteran edge rusher still available is Bud Dupree. Dupree had a couple of very productive seasons in Pittsburgh, but he's settled into a fine role as a rotational pass rusher in recent seasons.

The nine-year NFL veteran actually started 16 games for the Atlanta Falcons last season, playing almost 70 percent of his team's defensive snaps. He finished the year with 6.5 sacks and 38 pressures — his most since his final year in Pittsburgh.

Much like Ngakoue, Dupree isn't an especially strong run defender, but he still has some juice left as a pass rusher. He's never played as a true 4-3 defensive end in the NFL, but he has the size to hold up as an end, especially in Robert Saleh's defense.

Dupree isn't a game-changer by any means, but he could provide reliable pass-rush depth to a Jets' front seven that could use another veteran presence.

3. The NY Jets could sign Randy Gregory

Randy Gregory has had quite an eventful NFL career to this point. It's somewhat remarkable that a player who, by his own admission, has failed over 100 drug tests throughout his professional career is still playing in the NFL over a decade after he was drafted.

Gregory has steered clear of off-field issues in recent years, although he never came close to living up to the expectations of the five-year, $70 million contract he signed with the Denver Broncos prior to the 2022 season.

Gregory played just 10 games with the Broncos (six under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022) before he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers last season. The former second-round pick finished with just 3.5 sacks last season as his pass-rush efficiency declined significantly.

If the Jets are comfortable with Gregory's past history of drug suspensions, he could be worth a flyer as a cheap veteran addition. It's worth wondering how much he still has left in the tank, though.