John Franklin-Myers trade looks like a disaster for NY Jets after Week 1 dud

The defensive line has long been the strength of the NY Jets' roster, especially in the Robert Saleh era. That was expected to be the case again this season, even following the departures of key players like John Franklin-Myers and Bryce Huff.

Unfortunately, the Jets quickly realized in Week 1 that their defensive line might not be as much of a strength as they initially believed. The San Francisco 49ers cruised to a 32-19 win over the Jets on Monday Night Football in a game that wasn't as close as the final score would suggest.

Aaron Rodgers looked like Aaron Rodgers minus some mobility. The real issue was on the defensive side of the ball, especially as it pertains to the team's run defense. The Jets were bullied on the ground on Monday.

49ers backup running back Jordan Mason rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown on the ground as the 49ers as a team finished with nearly 200 rushing yards. It was arguably the worst defensive performance of the Saleh era, and it highlighted a series of missteps the organization made this offseason.

More specifically, it highlighted how much of a disaster the Franklin-Myers trade was for the Jets.

The NY Jets severely missed John Franklin-Myers in Week 1

The Jets made the controversial decision to trade Franklin-Myers to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick during Day 3 of the draft. The move was seen as a salary dump, although it's not one the team necessarily was forced to make.

Franklin-Myers had long been one of the unsung heroes of the Jets' defense. The former waiver-wire pickup finished with 50+ pressures in four consecutive seasons with the Jets and was quite literally a more efficient pass rusher in 2023 than Jermaine Johnson.

The Jets have attempted to replace him with former fourth-round pick Micheal Clemons, although it's become painfully obvious that Clemons is not capable of replicating Franklin-Myers' production. That should've been obvious after Clemons recorded just eight total pressures in 2023.

The Jets really missed Franklin-Myers' run defense on Monday night, however. The 27-year-old recorded 33 total run stops over the last two years with the Jets and was one of the team's most effective run defenders.

As the Jets' defensive line got gashed by Jordan Mason and a subpar 49ers interior offensive line on Monday, it was hard not to think about where the team would be had they not traded Franklin-Myers away for nothing in the offseason.

It was hard not to think about why the Jets downgraded at defensive tackle while paying significantly more for Javon Kinlaw. And it was hard not to think about how the Jets expected a group of undrafted rookies and a minicamp tryout to effectively replace Bryce Huff or even Haason Reddick.

The Jets' defensive line was their downfall in Week 1, and there is no obvious fix on the roster. Sure, Reddick's return would improve the pass rush, but the former All-Pro has never been a particularly strong run defender.

Defensive tackle Leki Fotu is eligible to return from the injured reserve as early as Week 5, but he alone doesn't fix the run defense. A player like Franklin-Myers certainly would help.

But instead of paying JFM for one more season, the Jets relocated those assets to paying Javon Kinlaw over Quinton Jefferson and Haason Reddick over Bryce Huff.

The Jets' defensive line is substantially worse than it was a year ago, and the worst part is it didn't have to be this way. The John Franklin-Myers trade was a baffling misstep at the time that has now threatened to partially derail the team's postseason aspirations.

Yes, it's only one game, but there is no savior waiting in the wings to fix this run defense. The Jets missed their chance, or rather they messed with a winning formula. Now, they're facing the consequences of their actions.

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