Former strength of Jets is now one of their biggest question marks headed into 2025 NFL season

New York Jets fans have spent years going into a season wondering what they were going to get out of their offensive line. Or what production was going to come from their wide receivers and tight ends. Or if they had finally found the answer at quarterback. It’s common place for Jets fans to wonder about those positions.

But the defensive front has not been something fans have worried about for years. It is a position that was taken for granted because it was usually just assumed the Jets’ defense was going to be good and the d-line was going to be the anchor of that defense. But going into 2025, there are a lot of questions that remain about the defensive front.

Once considered a strength of the team, the 2024 season exposed a lot of weaknesses. Jermaine Johnson went down in week 2 with an injury and left the team thin on the edge. Star of the Jet front seven, Quinnen Williams had one of his worst statistical seasons of his career. Will McDonald has shown that he can rush the passer but wasn’t much help in the run game. Micheal Clemons can’t hold the edge to save his life and all the Jets UDFA from last year played like their draft slots.

The Jets did little to address the issues on their defensive front this offseason. The only additions came in the form of role players and late round draft picks and they appear to be set on the roster they have. Now, national media outlets are taking notice of the Jets’ insufficiencies on the defensive front.

Pro Football Focus recently ranked every defensive line in the league. The Jets clock in at No. 26 overall, seventh-worst in the entire NFL.