Jamien Sherwood’s first month of the 2025 season has only deepened a problem the Jets can’t ignore.
The New York linebacker was supposed to be part of the foundation. After piling up 158 tackles in 2024, Sherwood was viewed as a priority free agent by Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey, and the new regime made its move quickly. New York signed him to a three-year, $45 million deal, a contract that put him among the NFL’s top five highest-paid linebackers at the time.
That investment has not paid off so far.
Sherwood has been the Jets’ lead inside linebacker this season, wearing the green dot and serving as a team captain, but his play has been rough - especially in coverage. Even after saying during the offseason that he worked on dropping back into coverage, the same issue has followed him into 2025.
The latest example came against the Detroit Lions in Week 3, when Jared Goff and the offense repeatedly went after him. The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt highlighted just how often that worked:
“This is a big yikes stat:
Jamien Sherwood allowed 9 catches on 10 targets for 127 yards against the Lions.
- Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) September 28, 2026”
That kind of attention has become a pattern. Opposing offenses are clearly treating Sherwood like a target, and it’s now been a weakness for two straight seasons.
The numbers back that up. Pro Football Focus has Sherwood ranked 52nd among 69 qualified linebackers in coverage, with a 50.7 grade. If that doesn’t improve, the Jets may have to start thinking about other ways to get production at the position.
The problem for New York is that the alternatives aren’t exactly jumping off the page. Trevin Wallace, who the Jets claimed off waivers from the Carolina Panthers, just made his first appearance this past Sunday against the Lions, and that action came on special teams only. Troy Reeder is in the same boat, having also played only special teams so far.
For now, the Jets don’t appear ready to trust either linebacker on defense. That leaves Sherwood in the spotlight - and opponents seem more than willing to keep testing him there.
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