New York Jets Defensive Line Given Brutal Assessment After Three Games

The New York Jets defensive line has not been nearly as productive as expected through the early portion of the NFL season.

Sep 19, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) sacked by New York Jets defensive end Micheal Clemons (72) and defensive end Will McDonald IV (99) in the 1st half at MetLife Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The New York Jets defensive line was considered to be a strength of the team and one of the best groups in the entire NFL, but that certainly hasn't been the case through three games.

Pro Football Focus released their updated position group rankings heading into Week 4 and the Jets defensive line found themselves second-to-last yet again.

"Sitting 30th in run-defense grade, this does not look like a unit that will even contend for the top 10 this season. They got after the passer in Week 3, as the unit ranked sixth in pass-rush grade," said John Kosko before giving a compliment to Quinnen Williams. "This is the Williams we’re accustomed to seeing. He posted a 16.7% pass-rush win rate and a 27.3% pressure rate with an 84.2 pass-rush grade in Week 3."

This is a group that lost major contributors in John Franklin-Myers and Bryce Huff this past offseason, but hopes were high that the addition of Haason Reddick would be able to more than compensate.

Reddick has been a no-show dealing with a contract dispute and has not made any public progress towards finally showing up in a New York uniform any time soon. It is going to be up to last year's group to find a way to match the production.

To add insult to injury, the Jets lost Jermaine Johnson for the season in their Week 2 game against the Tennessee Titans.

The biggest weight was added to the shoulders of Will McDonald, a sophomore pass rusher that had a solid rookie campaign when he was on the field but only played 183 snaps.

McDonald has certainly answered the call as a pass rusher, picking up five sacks over the past two games, but has been fairly weak everywhere else.

At 6-foot-3, 241 pounds it's no surprise that he's better against the pass than the run, though.

He's missed two tackles so far this season against the run and has just one run stop.

Outside of him, it's been a mix of struggling defensive ends that have not done much to establish themselves so far.

Javon Kinlaw has been a bit of a revelation so far up the middle, at least in the pass rush. He's generated eight pressures while only playing in about half of the snaps.

New York has been able to hold their own against the pass, given the circumstances, but need to figure things out fast against the run as they are bottom-10 as a team in rushing yards allowed per game.