All eyes will be on the New York Jets offense in 2023 after the team boldly acquired star quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. The offense could be great, but the defense is expected to once again be an excellent unit. We dive into what the Jets’ defense must improve upon this coming season to help push the franchise to its maximum potential.
Where Jets Defense Must Improve in 2023
It’s hard to complain about a defense that ranked fourth in points and yards allowed in any given season. The Jets’ defense overcame an awful offense in 2022 to help propel the team to a 7-10 record. Considering the Jets lost five games where the offense scored 12 points or less, it’s easy to see why optimism exploded after the Jets added Rodgers to lead the offense.
Rodgers will provide a massive upgrade to the offense, and the floor of the unit might be as high as the floor of last year’s group when Zach Wilson was starting. The defense, however, has to hold up to the high standard they established last year. Even maintaining a defense that ranked second in points allowed per drive despite inheriting the third-worst starting field position per drive will not be easy.
It’s important to remember that development isn’t linear. The Jets produced the sixth-best defensive EPA per play, thanks in large part to their passing defense. Their run defense was only 17th in EPA but faced the eighth-least rush attempts in the pass-heavy AFC East.
Outside of Quinnen Williams, no defensive player totaled more than seven sacks. 32-year-old safety Lamarcus Joyner was the only player with more than two interceptions. The unit ranked 29th in turnovers forced despite being stingy and effective in forcing punts.
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The safety position as a whole is looking to improve in 2023. Joyner has been replaced by Chuck Clark, and the “internal hope is that [Whitehead’s] production will increase” in Year 2 with the team. Both Whitehead and Clark are box safeties, so Tony Adams and Ashtyn Davis could have an opportunity to break into more deep coverage looks.
If the safety play doesn’t improve, then the pass rush needs to so the cornerback group doesn’t have to bear the heavy lifting of the unit. The Jets are well-equipped to see jumps from their young talent, including 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson II and 2023 first-rounder Will McDonald IV. Carl Lawson will also be a full offseason removed from his torn ACL, so he could threaten to reach double-digit sacks.
None of it will matter if their leading sack artist isn’t back. Williams is looking for a contract extension in the $23.5 million-per-year range after seeing several of his peers cash in. The 26-year-old deserves it, and Jets general manager Joe Douglas said he’s “hopeful and optimistic” on a deal getting done.
With Williams manning the middling of the unit in front of one of the best cornerback groups in the league, the rest of the defense has to be more impactful. That means turnovers more than anything. In addition to being in the middle of the pack with only 12 interceptions, the Jets had the second-fewest recovered fumbles.
An increase in sacks and turnovers gives the Jets a considerable way to improve as a defense despite being so effective in 2022. The unit’s ceiling will rise dramatically with more turnovers, either with head coach Robert Saleh creating more chaos with schemed blitzes/post-snap rotations or from individuals stepping up and/or being in a more fortunate position.
