The Jets’ only reliable source of an edge rush in 2021 was John Franklin-Myers, who made his near-permanent home on the left side of the defensive line. Franklin-Myers rushed off the left side on 397 of his 410 pass-rush snaps and ranked sixth among all NFL edge rushers with 53 pressures off the left side.
Off the right side, though, the Jets had no juice.
New York’s edge rushers combined for only 38 pressures off the right side, tying for second-worst among EDGE units. With those 38 pressures coming on 621 right-side pass-rush snaps, the Jets’ EDGE unit generated a pressure rate of 6.12% off the right side, ranking 31st ahead of only the Falcons.
This is an area where New York should be able to take a big step forward without doing anything at all. Carl Lawson calls the right side of the defensive line home. He led the NFL with 63 pressures off the right side in 2020, 15 more than any other edge rusher. Lawson unfortunately missed the entire 2021 season with an Achilles injury.
All the Jets need is a healthy Lawson and they should be able to rekindle their right-side edge rush.
Lawson alone will likely not save the entire EDGE unit, though. It’s possible that Franklin-Myers could move back to the interior, and if he does, the Jets do not have a reliable player on the roster to take his place on the left side.
Outside of Franklin-Myers, the Jets’ edge rushers combined for a pressure rate of 5.34% from the left side, which is even worse than their right-side rate and would have been the worst in the NFL of any EDGE unit.
Lawson will solve the Jets’ need for a right-side starter if healthy. Franklin-Myers should continue to be a good starter on the left side if he remains there.
But outside of those two players, the Jets’ EDGE unit is barren. They’ll need to look to free agency or the draft to find a starting-caliber replacement for Franklin-Myers if he kicks inside, and regardless of what happens with Franklin-Myers, they also need to work on improving the unit’s depth, especially considering Lawson’s injury history.
Jets Global
Off the right side, though, the Jets had no juice.
New York’s edge rushers combined for only 38 pressures off the right side, tying for second-worst among EDGE units. With those 38 pressures coming on 621 right-side pass-rush snaps, the Jets’ EDGE unit generated a pressure rate of 6.12% off the right side, ranking 31st ahead of only the Falcons.
This is an area where New York should be able to take a big step forward without doing anything at all. Carl Lawson calls the right side of the defensive line home. He led the NFL with 63 pressures off the right side in 2020, 15 more than any other edge rusher. Lawson unfortunately missed the entire 2021 season with an Achilles injury.
All the Jets need is a healthy Lawson and they should be able to rekindle their right-side edge rush.
Lawson alone will likely not save the entire EDGE unit, though. It’s possible that Franklin-Myers could move back to the interior, and if he does, the Jets do not have a reliable player on the roster to take his place on the left side.
Outside of Franklin-Myers, the Jets’ edge rushers combined for a pressure rate of 5.34% from the left side, which is even worse than their right-side rate and would have been the worst in the NFL of any EDGE unit.
Lawson will solve the Jets’ need for a right-side starter if healthy. Franklin-Myers should continue to be a good starter on the left side if he remains there.
But outside of those two players, the Jets’ EDGE unit is barren. They’ll need to look to free agency or the draft to find a starting-caliber replacement for Franklin-Myers if he kicks inside, and regardless of what happens with Franklin-Myers, they also need to work on improving the unit’s depth, especially considering Lawson’s injury history.
Jets Global
