In a matter of hours last week, the Jets completely changed the outlook of their defensive line.
What was shaping up to be a lingering issue on Aaron Glenn’s defense has quickly turned into an array of strong complementary skillsets around All-Pro Quinnen Williams. Thanks to some late-August action from general manager Darrell Mougey, New York has four rotational defensive linemen who bring an exciting blend of size and physicality, with enough pass-rush upside to be potent inside.
Jowon Briggs
The first of two defensive line moves, the Jets traded a sixth-round pick for Jowon Briggs. Briggs appeared slated to start on New York’s defensive line for all of three hours. The Jets still needed to bring in a big body that stands up against the run after Derrick Nnadi struggled to stand out in camp, and Briggs’ 6-foot-1, 313-pound frame more than suffices.
Although he didn’t get game time until Week 13, Briggs shone when the Browns finally put him into action. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 23rd-best defensive lineman in 2024, and his sample size of 20 snaps per game should mirror his role in this defense. On tape, Briggs’s upper body strength and violent hands frequently show up against the run, but he’s also got plenty of mobility to motor down running backs on the other side of the formation.
Cleveland had Briggs primarily line up as a 3-technique in 2024, which could suggest some untapped upside as a pass rusher. For now, trading a 23-year-old run defender for a sixth-round pick is shrewd business by Mougey.
Harrison Phillips
Seemingly in one fell swoop, the Jets also traded for Harrison Phillips on Aug. 20, this time for two sixth-round draft picks and a seventh-round pick.
After signing a two-year extension starting in the 2025 season, Phillips fell victim to a reinforced Vikings defensive line. Aaron Glenn is the perfect fit for Phillips because of how he likes to deploy his starting defensive linemen.
Unlike Briggs, Phillips’ bread and butter is at nose or 1-technique. Although he doesn’t rack up a ton of run stops, Phillips’ ability to use his size to eat up double teams made him the anchor of the number one rush defense by EPA/play. For a team that got gashed between the tackles like New York did, finally giving Quinnen Williams a legitimate running mate in this department could be the difference in competing with elite rushing offenses like Buffalo.
With an underwhelming seven sacks in seven years, Phillips certainly isn’t the third-down solution. However, he profiles as the perfect early down defensive lineman to get the Jets defense ahead of the sticks again.
Jay Tufele
Entering training camp, Tufele appeared to be on the outside looking in to make the Jets 53-man roster. It only took one game to change his outlook.
In the first of only two preseason games Tufele would suit up for, he recorded one and a half sacks, two tackles for loss, and a defensive touchdown. At 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, Tufele’s calling card entering the NFL appeared to be his ideal frame for a run defender. However, since getting drafted in 2021, he has recorded run defense grades in the 40s each season, while his pass rush grades were in the 60s. During preseason, its been the pass rush flashes that have allowed Tufele to stand out amongst the pack.
With the acquisitions of Phillips and Briggs, Tufele no longer figures to be a candidate next to Quinnen Williams on first down. However, if he can balance his pass rush juice by putting together the tools he has to stop the run, Tufele can carve out a solid rotational role.
Leonard Taylor III
Of all the names on this list, the 23-year-old Taylor possesses the most intrigue as a starter.
The University of Miami product was forced onto a tumultuous Jets defensive line in 2024 that regressed at rushing the passer and defending the run. Despite this, he showed exceptional promise as a UDFA. Taylor finished as the 28th highest graded IDL pass rusher in the league, demonstrating a different gear of athleticism than any other potential running mate for Quinnen. Although his run defense leaves much to be desired, the Wednesday acquisitions will save him from getting exposed on early downs.
Based on his pre-draft skillset and limited NFL snaps, Taylor has the chance to be the best 3-tech on this roster very soon. His pass-rush ability will force him into plenty of third-and-long situations where he can simply pin his ears back and tee off on opposing quarterbacks. While he dominates this niche, he has the chance to round himself out and develop into a key cog in this defense.
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