4) New York Jets
As it has been stated before, the New York Jets have needs at many positions on both sides of the ball. But the defensive line wasn’t on that list of to do’s. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams got a lot out of this unit even if the numbers do not reflect that statement. The foundation is now being laid for the Jets for a strong future with this defensive line. With some key draft picks the past two years and some good coaching, this unit will only get stronger.
After being selected third overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, there is much more to be expected from defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. If he can make that big step forward, he will be the anchor of this unit for years to come. His rookie season saw him produce 28 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass defended, and one fumble recovery. Low numbers for a player of his caliber but that should change in 2020.
Steve McLendon is the veteran leader on this line that the young guys will be looking to. The 34-year old had one of his better seasons in 2019 since joining the Jets in 2016. Last season he had 35 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. That’s not bad for a nose tackle at his age. Henry Anderson rounds out the trio of projected starters and his numbers were low after being seen as more of a rotational defensive end.
The aforementioned other key draft pick is defensive end Jabari Zuniga out of Florida who was selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He struggled in his final season with the Gators due to injury but his athleticism is something that was hard to ignore. His knowledge of the fundamentals, power and his explosiveness were things that the Jets had to get their hands on. He will add great depth at the position that is fairly strong, but there are guys that will have to perform better to see more success in the trenches heading into the 2020 season.