Four-year veteran guard John Simpson signed a new contract with the New York Jets. Simpson, a former fourth-round pick, spent the 2023 season with the Baltimore Ravens but has also played for the Las Vegas Raiders.
John Simpson, New York Jets, Agree to Contract
After signing a futures contract in January of 2023, John Simpson quickly turned into a valuable piece on one of the best teams in football. Starting all 17 games, the offensive lineman finished the season with a 56.3 PFF grade, the 49th-best mark out of 79 eligible guards. With Simpson’s help, the Ravens finished with the best record in football and made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
John Simpson originally entered the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Selected by the Las Vegas Raiders, the Clemson product spent most of his rookie season in a reserve role. In total, Simpson appeared in just seven games while making two starts in place of an injured Richie Incognito.
With Incognito departing after the 2020 season, Simpson stepped into the starting role. The second-year pro started all 17 games, finishing the year with a 53.0 PFF grade, the 69th-best mark out of 82 eligible guards. The Raiders had a strong season, making it to the playoffs before narrowly losing to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Raiders brought in Josh McDaniels as head coach in 2022, and his presence put Simpson back on the bench. The Clemson product appeared in just 11 games before the team released him. Much like Simpson, Vegas took a big step back, going 6-11 after making the playoffs the year prior.
Since signing his rookie contract, John Simpson has appeared in 52 games while making 38 starts. The former fourth-round pick has made the playoffs twice in his four-year career and has experienced one playoff win.
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