Darrell Jackson Jr. didn’t just have the best game of his young Jets career against the Browns. He also landed in a piece of team history so specific it feels like it was dug out with a shovel and a magnifying glass.
The rookie defensive tackle came away with his first career sack and knocked down two passes in Sunday’s win, and the Jets’ official website noted that he became the first New York player since Muhammad Wilkerson in 2014 to record consecutive pass deflections behind the line of scrimmage. That kind of detail is the sort of thing that stops you in your tracks, but Jackson’s own explanation was simple enough.
“Most quarterbacks, they’re short, they throw the ball low, so I get my hands up,” Jackson told reporters. “I’ve got a 7-foot wingspan, and that’s something I can add to my game. [Jets coaches] talk about that in meetings: hands up in the throwing lanes and that affects the quarterback if you can’t get there.”
The production showed up when it mattered most. Jackson’s sack and both of his pass breakups came in the fourth quarter, and he played 42.6 percent of New York’s defensive snaps. Those plays helped Aaron Glenn’s team survive penalties and Denzel Boston’s 29-yard touchdown catch while finishing off a comeback win.
Glenn has been praising Jackson for a while now, pointing to his work in practice and the way he uses his 6-foot-5, 315-pound frame. The performance against Cleveland only strengthened that case.
Now the challenge is carrying it forward. Jackson and No. 2 pick David Bailey will get another chance to make a statement Sunday afternoon against the Patriots, who are expected to be without left tackle Will Campbell because of a knee injury. The Jets’ defense also enters that matchup coming off an eight-sack, 10-TFL outing.
There could be more rookie action on the way, too. Omar Cooper Jr., the No. 30 pick who has been out since Week 1 with an ankle injury, was listed as a limited participant during Wednesday’s walkthrough.
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Jets Could Take A Huge Pass Rush Gamble Next To David Bailey
The Jets are already thinking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft, where edge rusher could be one of the areas they try to address around David Bailey. With multiple first-round picks in hand, New York has the kind of draft capital that can change how aggressive a team is when it spots a pass-rush talent it likes, especially if the front office believes the roster will have enough veteran presence to help keep younger players on track.
One name to watch is South Carolinas Dylan Stewart, a high-upside defender whose profile comes with some off-field baggage that has already complicated his stock. Even so, the Jets may be in a position to weigh the upside against the risk, and how far theyre willing to go for help opposite Bailey could end up telling us plenty about how bold they plan to be with those premium picks. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Glenn Is Fueling A Jets Debate Fans Cant Ignore
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But the bigger question around Glenn is no longer just about play-calling or scheme. It is about whether the posture he brings on game day, and the way he carries himself with players and officials, fits a team still searching for direction and sitting near 1-4. The defense has given him something tangible to point to, yet the broader head coach picture is where the debate keeps getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Defend Minkah Fitzpatrick After Scary Hit Sparks Debate
During the Jets Week 5 matchup, a collision between Minkah Fitzpatrick and Browns rookie receiver KC Concepcion quickly became the kind of play that draws instant scrutiny. Concepcion was shaken up on the field after taking the hard hit, and the result was a concussion, but he was able to walk off the field, which offered at least a small bit of relief in the middle of an unsettling moment.
Aaron Glenn moved quickly to defend Fitzpatrick afterward, saying he does not view him as a dirty player and describing the hit as a bang-bang football play. For a Jets team trying to keep its defensive identity intact without getting pulled into disciplinary or reputational noise, the explanation mattered almost as much as the hit itself. [Read more 🡒]