Jets 2023 Position Breakdown: Can the defensive line be dominant again?

Heading into the 2023 season, the Jets have made a series of moves to improve the state of their roster and overall depth, but are they ready to compete for a playoff spot?

In this series, we’ll break down the depth chart for every position group. This time, we’ll go in-depth on the defensive line…

Projected depth chart

Starters: Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers at defensive end, Quinnen Williams and Solomon Thomas at defensive tackle.

Backups: Micheal Clemons, Jermaine Johnson, Will McDonald and Bryce Huff at defensive end, Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson at defensive tackle

Key additions/losses: Drafted McDonald in the first round, signed Woods and Jefferson, re-signed Thomas, opted not to re-sign Sheldon Rankins, Nathan Shepherd and Vinny Curry.

Top Performer in 2022: Williams 55 tackles, 12 sacks, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles.

2022 ranking via PFF: Williams 4th (out of 142 qualifiers at defensive tackle).

What Jets’ defensive linemen have going for them

The Jets’ defensive line is considered one of their strongest units and has plenty of depth to allow head coach Robert Saleh to rotate everyone and keep his best players fresh into the fourth quarter.

At defensive end, Franklin-Myers is a solid player against the run and pass and Lawson is looking to build on a 2022 season that saw him rack up seven sacks and a team-high 16 quarterback knockdowns despite not yet being fully recovered from a 2021 Achilles tear.

The Jets have drafted Johnson and McDonald in the first round and Clemons in the fourth over the past two years to add depth to a group that also features Huff, who racked up a high pressure rate in a situational role last season.

On the inside, Williams made his first pro bowl last year, as he established himself as one of the best interior linemen in the league. However, the starting role alongside him is up for grabs after Rankins and Shepherd departed in free agency. Franklin-Myers can occasionally line up inside on passing downs and Clemons has bulked up so he may also be used more inside.

Key concern for 2023: Williams’ contractual status

Williams’ contract situation has been up in the air during the offseason with the pressure to get a deal done intensifying as many of the other top young defensive tackles around the league have signed new deals. The Jets acknowledge that Williams is deserving of a new deal but have yet to agree terms with his representatives.

Earlier this week, Saleh reiterated that the Jets are confident that a deal will be done in time to get Williams into camp, but the Jets would be wise not to let this become a distraction.

Player who must step up in 2023: Johnson

Johnson wasn’t expected to have a major impact in 2022 with two of the Jets’ highest-paid performers ahead of him on the depth chart but he did well in a reserve role. He was solid against the run and recorded 2.5 sacks, including a memorable chase-down tackle on Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen in space.

The team will be expecting the 2021 first-round pick to take a step forward this season though. They already started increasing his workload towards the end of last season, giving him more and more of Huff’s reps in passing situations. He will be looking to outproduce Huff this season to move ahead of him in the rotation and prove himself worthy of a potential starting role in 2024.

Biggest camp battle: Thomas vs. Woods vs. Jefferson

The starter alongside Williams is as-yet undecided but there are three experienced candidates in the mix, including two former Seattle Seahawks brought in as free agents. Woods is a run stuffer, whereas Jefferson is more of a pass rusher. That could potentially mean that Woods sees more action on early downs, but that Jefferson plays more overall.

Thomas returns after being a rotational reserve in 2022. He finished strong after a slow start, perhaps suggesting he got more comfortable in the system as the season went along. He is hoping to get more playing time this season and will be eager to get more reps alongside Williams and in pass-rush situations so he has more of a chance to make impact plays.

Overall 2023 outlook

If the Jets can get Williams locked up, the defensive line should once again be one of the Jets’ main strengths in 2023 and teams will be forced to alter their game plans to account for them.

The Jets had good health on the defensive line positions in 2022 but are well-equipped to cope in the event of any injuries. They also have some young players who could break out if they get an opportunity for an expanded role, so the long-term future of this group is also promising.