Ranking the 5 most important NY Jets players on defense

4. C.J. Mosley, LB, NY Jets

Along with Williams and Gardner, C.J. Mosley was the third Jet to earn All-Pro recognition in 2022. Mosley is the signal-caller on the defensive side of the ball for the Jets and led the team in tackles with 99 solo and 158 combined.

The Jets did bring back Quincy Williams to play alongside Mosley but have yet to re-sign Kwon Alexander, who was the third linebacker last year and excelled in that role.

It is possible the Jets planned on using someone like Chuck Clark in that role, but with his season-ending ACL tear, it would probably be wise to bring Alexander back.

Either way, there is no doubt that Mosley is a crucial piece to the Jets' defense, but without having the depth that Alexander would provide, Mosley and even Williams become even more important.

5. John Franklin-Myers, DE, NY Jets

Another defensive line piece that is extremely important is John Franklin-Myers. Whether he's playing inside, outside, in run defense, or rushing the passer, Franklin-Myers is an extremely dependable player.

In 2022, Franklin-Myers had 7.0 sacks and 51 total pressures. He's also recorded at least 50 pressures in each of the last three seasons. Franklin-Myers earned a 76.0 PFF pass rush and a 76.8 run defense grade in 2022. His overall defensive grade was 82.6, which ranked third among all qualified Jets defenders.

The Jets' defensive line is stacked, but nobody can replace what Franklin-Myers has done in recent years.