Jermaine Johnson looks to cement his place among NFL's elite in 2024

The NY Jets currently boast arguably the NFL's best defensive line despite losing a number of key contributors in the offseason. Much of that is due to the rise of former first-round pick Jermaine Johnson.

The 26th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Johnson tends to get overlooked when discussing the Jets' star-studded 2022 draft class that also features the likes of Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall.

But make no mistake about it — the Jets have a budding star pass rusher on their hands in the former Florida State standout.

Johnson broke out in his first year as a full-time starter in 2023, racking up 7.5 sacks en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance. There's every reason to believe that Johnson can still take another step toward stardom in 2024, and the Jets might need him to if their defense is going to reach its fullest potential.

The NY Jets are counting on another Jermaine Johnson leap in 2024

The Jets parted ways with the likes of Bryce Huff and John Franklin-Myers this offseason, and although the team traded for disgruntled star pass rusher Haason Reddick, it remains to be seen when he will actually take the field for the organization.

Outside of Reddick, the Jets are relying on 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald to take a similar Johnson-sized leap this season, but the Iowa State product is still a work in progress.

Johnson is the lone sure thing in the Jets' edge-rush group, and if he's able to take his game to an even higher level in 2024, the Jets could solidify their place as the NFL's best defense.

Although he technically has a Pro Bowl under his belt, Johnson was only named to the game as an injury replacement. Johnson was actually a fifth alternate for the 2024 Pro Bowl, the same as players like Breece Hall and Quincy Williams, neither of whom received nods.

Johnson's 7.5 sacks in 2023 were tied for only 46th in the NFL while his 56 pressures ranked 26th among all edge rushers. He was an above-average pass rusher but far from a true star.

Of course, part of the appeal with Johnson is his excellent run defense. Johnson's 71.0 Pro Football Focus run defense grade ranked 17th among qualified edge defenders as well. He's a well-rounded, above-average/very good starting defensive end.

But the Jets would love to see their former first-round pick become more than just a "very good" player. The Jets parted ways with their best pass rusher, Huff, in the offseason. Reddick and McDonald remain wild cards for various reasons.

It would be nice to see Johnson emerge as the Jets' best overall edge rusher in his third season. At just 25 years old, there's still plenty of room for the former Georgia recruit to grow as a player.

Jermaine Johnson is already one of the best and most well-rounded players on a stacked Jets defense, but for him to enter the conversation of the NFL's elite, he'll need to take another sizable step forward in 2024.

Right now, he's just a really good player. The Jets know he can be a great one.

This article is part of the "Summer Spotlight" series on The Jet Press, dedicated to highlighting individual players on the Jets roster throughout the summer. Stay tuned for more features as we provide in-depth profiles and insights on various Jets players before the season kicks off.

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