Larry Ogunjobi would be an excellent post-draft signing for the NY Jets

The NY Jets could be on the verge of making a very notable post-draft addition in the form of veteran defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that Ogunjobi had spent the previous two days meeting with the Jets indicating that the team was interested in signing him this spring.

This was later confirmed by The Athletic's Connor Hughes who insisted that the Jets were "very interested" in signing both Ogunjobi and linebacker Kwon Alexander who was brought in for a visit before the draft.

Ultimately, it will come down to Ogunjobi making his decision. But if the Jets have it their way, they might be about to make a post-draft splash, and one at a major position of need.

Larry Ogunjobi would provide much-needed defensive tackle depth for the NY Jets

A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ogunjobi spent the first four years of his career with the Cleveland Browns where he quickly developed into one of the key pieces in a pretty talented defense.

From 2018 to 2020, Ogunjobi recorded 13.5 sacks and missed just two games. He was an important part of Cleveland's run defense and excelled as an interior pass rusher.

Ogunjobi signed a one-year, $6.2 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals the following offseason, and he would go on to have arguably the best year of his career. The Charlotte product finished with a career-high seven sacks which was one of the highest totals of any defensive tackle last season.

Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending foot injury that required offseason surgery in his team's first playoff game. It was the first time in his NFL career that he was ever forced out of action due to injury, and it came at the worst possible time.

Still, Ogunjobi was rewarded for his play with a massive three-year, $40.5 million contract from the Chicago Bears this offseason, only for the deal to fall through after he failed his physical.

The Jets are clearly looking to bolster their defensive interior, and adding a player of Ogunjobi's caliber — someone who nearly signed for $13.5 million per year a few months ago — after the draft would be a coup for general manager Joe Douglas.

Douglas knows the Jets need to upgrade their interior depth. After losing Folorunso Fatukasi in free agency, the Jets failed to add a true defensive tackle to the roster.

Sure, guys like John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas will shift inside from time to time, but the depth behind Quinnen Williams and Sheldon Rankins is rather thin at the moment.

Adding Larry Ogunjobi to an already talented defensive line would be massive for the Jets. It would put the figurative cherry on top of what has been an outstanding offseason for Gang Green.