Big Al Woods' Signing Gives Gang Green Battle-Tested Road Block

Having already played for five teams, the behemoth will join the Jets on the defensive front in 2023

The New York Jets are beefing up the interior of their defensive line.

Veteran defensive tackle Al Woods, a 12-year pro, is signing a one-year contract with Gang Green, according to an initial report by SNY's Connor Hughes.

The 36-year old Woods is known to have made a free-agent visit with the Jets in early April.

Playing on the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive front, Woods started 30 of a possible 34 games the last two seasons. In 2022, he accounted for 39 combined stops and 2.0 sacks over 14 starts.

The 6-foot-4 Woods has appeared in regular season games for five different NFL teams over the course of his career (Seahawks, Buccaneers, Steelers, Colts, Titans), but, interestingly never played for the team (Saints) that drafted him with the No. 123 overall selection in 2010.

Woods initially joined the Seahawks in 2019, starting five of his 14 appearances that year. The 2010 fourth-round draft pick signed as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars in April 2020, but eventually opted out of the 2020 COVID season. He returned to Seattle for the 2021 campaign.

DT Al Woods / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Woods has logged 155 career appearances, including 78 starts. The 330-pound road block can fit into multiple spots up front and has experience in a true nose tackle role from his days in Tennessee.

Former Jets defensive tackle-turned-media member Leger Douzable tweeted his approval of the Woods move.

"Woods is a run stuffing DT that can push the pocket. Solidifying the DT position was a must for the Jets and they get Woods under contract," said Douzable in a tweet on Wednesday.

The Jets, who did not add a defensive tackle through the 2023 NFL Draft, lost two significant interior pieces in free agency. Sheldon Rankins (Texans) and Nathan Shepherd (Saints) signed elsewhere.

Gang Green retained Solomon Thomas on a new one-year inked and later came to a one-year agreement with veteran Quinton Jefferson.

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