NY Jets hope to finally seal the deal with veteran DT Al Woods

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Al Woods / Jane Gershovich/GettyImages

The NY Jets have struck out on adding a veteran defensive tackle to their roster so far in free agency, but they're hoping that the third time will be the charm with the team reportedly planning to host Al Woods on a visit this week, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport reported on Tuesday that the Jets and Cleveland Browns are set to bring Woods in this week as the 36-year-old looks to find a new home following four years spent with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Jets were previously involved in the markets of both Fletcher Cox and Calais Campbell before each player decided to sign elsewhere. Cox nearly came to an agreement on a deal with the Jets, but the six-time Pro Bowler opted to return to Philadelphia instead.

Woods doesn't hold the same name value that Cox or Campbell does, but he's an established veteran who would fill a sizable hole on the Jets' roster. He would be a sizable addition in more than one way.

The NY Jets hope to seal the deal with Al Woods

A 13-year NFL veteran, Woods has over 150 games of experience under his belt, having spent time with five different organizations. His most recent stint came with the Seahawks, where he served a valuable role as an early-down run-stuffer over the last four years.

That's likely the role he would play with the Jets as well. At 6-foot-4, 330 pounds, Woods is a mammoth of a human being who is one of the better interior run defenders in the NFL.

Woods finished the 2022 season with a Pro Football Focus grade of 69.9 that ranked 32nd out of 127 qualified interior defensive linemen. His 80.3 run-defense grade in 2021 was the fourth-best at his position.

Woods doesn't offer a ton of upside as a pass rusher, as he's never recorded more than two sacks in a season. His true value lies as a two-down run-stuffer who can eat blocks and clog up running lanes.

The Jets need a player like that, and in reality, they really didn't have anyone on their roster who can do that last season. Woods would essentially be the team's replacement for Foley Fatukasi, albeit a year later.

He's also been a pretty durable player throughout his career, having played 14 or more games in each of the last six seasons, aside from the 2020 season, in which he opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Missing on Cox was understandable, given the former All-Pro's desire to stay in Philadelphia. Missing on Campbell was a harder pill to swallow, but at least the Jets can take solace (maybe?) in knowing that they didn't even receive the chance to bring him in for a visit.

Those excuses are growing tiresome, however. The Jets need to do everything they can to seal the deal with Al Woods to address a significant need.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.