Why aren't more Jets fans talking about David Onyemata?

The New York Jets made a number of notable additions to their defensive line room this offseason, but for whatever reason, the David Onyemata signing has flown significantly under the radar.

The attention has understandably centered around the likes of David Bailey and even T'Vondre Sweat, but lost in the shuffle is a veteran who signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract and is likely going to be a Week 1 starter for the team.

Day 39 of your 2026 Jets Camp Countdown belongs to the Nigerian Nightmare x3, the Manitoba Mauler, and the player who literally once told Aaron Glenn that he changed his life...it's David Onyemata.

1. Where David Onyemata stands entering Jets training camp
2. David Onyemata is a lot better than most Jets fans probably realize
3. What would make 2026 a success for David Onyemata
4. Recent 2026 Camp Countdown Breakdowns

Where David Onyemata stands entering Jets training camp

Onyemata enters his ninth NFL season with more than 150 career games under his belt and nearly a decade of experience as genuinely one of the most underappreciated defensive linemen in the NFL.

He spent the first five years of his career with the Saints before following Ryan Nielsen to Atlanta in 2023. Now he'll reunite with Aaron Glenn in Florham Park, where he projects as one of the Jets' starting base defensive ends in their expected new 3-4 scheme.

Onyemata is likely going to play somewhere around 50 to 60 percent of the Jets' defensive snaps this season, which realistically could be more than guys like David Bailey and especially Will McDonald. He's going to play a lot — more than many probably realize.

He's never been viewed as one of the NFL's better defensive linemen, but year after year, Onyemata is someone who has consistently produced at a high level. Now, he will have the opportunity to do so for the Jets.

Camp Countdown: Your guide to every player on the 2026 Jets roster

David Onyemata is a lot better than most Jets fans probably realize

Even at 33 years old (he turns 34 in November), Onyemata continues to perform at a level that deserves far more attention than it receives.

The Lagos native started all 17 games for the Falcons last season, earning a 78.2 Pro Football Focus grade, which ranked eighth-best among 127 qualified interior defensive linemen. His run defense remained one of the biggest strengths of his game.

Onyemata posted a 74.2 run-defense grade, good for seventh at his position, while tying for 15th with 25 run stops. His 4.8 percent missed tackle rate was also among the best in the NFL, which is welcome news for a Jets defense that has struggled mightily with missed tackles in recent years.

Earlier this offseason, Jets linebacker Demario Davis called Onyemata one of the five best run defenders he's ever played alongside (the two played together in New Orleans). The numbers certainly support that claim.

He's also far from a zero as a pass rusher, too. Onyemata has never been confused with Chris Jones or Aaron Donald, but he's quietly been one of the most consistent interior defensive linemen in the NFL over the last decade.

He enters 2026 with 34 career sacks and 281 career pressures, and he still finished above average in pass-rush win rate last season. The Jets aren't asking him to carry their pass rush. They simply need him to continue being the dependable, well-rounded defensive lineman he's been for nearly a decade.

What would make 2026 a success for David Onyemata

Onyemata made a point to seek out Aaron Glenn after his Falcons' 27-24 loss to the Jets last season. He thanked his former Saints assistant coach, telling Glenn that conversations they shared a decade earlier had legitimately changed his life. The NFL Films crew documented the special interaction.

It was a genuine moment between two people who clearly respected one another, and a few months later, they found themselves reunited in Florham Park.

Remember, at the time, Glenn was serving as the Saints' defensive backs coach, meaning that he wasn't even Onyemata's specific position coach. That's the type of impact Glenn had on Onyemata as both a player and a person.

And it's that relationship that undoubtedly played a role in bringing Onyemata to Florham Park. The Jets are expecting Onyemata to both be a pillar of the defensive line on the field and a valuable veteran mentor off of it.

Young players like Jowon Briggs, T'Vondre Sweat, and Darrell Jackson Jr. will all benefit from having a veteran with Onyemata's experience in the room. Just as important, the Jets need him to continue producing on Sundays.

If he provides another season of reliable, above-average play while helping stabilize the Jets' revamped defensive line, this one-year contract will look like one of the better value signings of the offseason.

Don't be surprised if David Onyemata finishes 2026 as one of the Jets' most important defensive linemen. He's made a career out of exceeding expectations without ever commanding significant attention...why stop now?

Recent 2026 Camp Countdown Breakdowns

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