Jets looking for more from Jermaine Johnson after defensive line shakeup

This, at least on paper, is different for the Jets. 

The defensive line continuity that defined 2023 has faded.

John Franklin-Myers is gone. Bryce Huff is gone.

Carl Lawson, after a drastic drop in playing time, is gone.

Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson, veterans signed to one-year deals ahead of last season, are gone, too. 

And that, more or less, leaves Jermaine Johnson, Quinnen Williams, a handful of other returning rotation pieces (Will McDonald IV, Solomon Thomas, Micheal Clemons) and a trio of newcomers (Haason Reddick, Leki Fotu and Javon Kinlaw) to replace the 20.5 sacks that are no longer on the roster.

The Jets could rely on someone such as McDonald, their first-round pick last year, to fill that void with a breakthrough campaign.

Reddick, who hasn’t reported while holding out for a long-term deal, had at least 11 sacks each of the past four seasons, too. 

But the next stage of Johnson’s evolution, his encore to a five-sack bump from Year 1 to Year 2, will be a critical layer to replacing the lost production and ensuring the Jets’ line continues to anchor what has been one of the NFL’s top units. 

“I mean, the expectation every year is to go allow zero points every single game,” Johnson said Thursday. “I’m just excited to, I always like to say, take this new car out for a spin, for sure.” 

Johnson, in his second season, finished with the increase in sacks, total tackles (29 to 55) and, perhaps most importantly, defensive snaps (34 percent to 66 percent).

He carved out a key role as a pass rusher under head coach Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulrbich, allowing him to more than quadruple his quarterback pressures (six to 25).

This year, Johnson said, he wants to plug every role for Gang Green — blending speed and power, blocking tackles and tight ends, even playing inside on some snaps if needed. 

“Just ball out, dominate,” Johnson said. “It’s very simple.” 

It could take time for that to come together.

Johnson sacked Bills quarterback Josh Allen in Week 1 last year but didn’t record another quarterback hit until Week 5.

After three hits and 1.5 sacks in Week 12, Johnson compiled just three and one, respectively, the final five games. 

Throughout the offseason, Johnson, 25, has picked the brain of 33-year-old offensive lineman and offseason signing Tyron Smith — who he coined the league’s best pass protector and an “invaluable” matchup — for insight about how he can improve. 

Still, it’ll be impossible for the Jets to shut out every opponent.

That part of Johnson’s goal is unrealistic.

But it might be feasible for them to cobble together 20.5 sacks, and while some of those will inevitably feature other linemen, another jump in sacks for Johnson would help eliminate that gap, too. 

“I’m not worried about where those 20 will come from,” Saleh said.