Jets Reveal Why Breakout Star Was 'Critical' Move Of Offseason

The Jets have made a handful of moves already with more likely coming...

Aug 14, 2021; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets helmets are seen during the second half of the game between the New York Giants and the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Jets have obviously been busy throughout the offseason to this point.

There likely isn't any bigger understatement than that fact. New York finished the 2024 National Football League season with a 5-12 record and in third place in the AFC East. That obviously isn't what the team wanted. The Jets had playoff aspirations heading into the 2024 season but couldn't live up to the hype.

New York entered the offseason at a crossroads and has already made big changes. By this point, you likely have heard of all of the big moves. Justin Fields is replacing Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey have the jobs of bringing the team into the future.

A lot of the offseason so far has been about cutting ties with people from the last regime, like Rodgers or Davante Adams. That doesn't mean that the Jets want to completely move on from everyone who was on the roster last year. For example, the Jets made it clear that retaining 25-year-old linebacker Jamien Sherwood was a priority.

New York gave Sherwood a three-year, $45 million deal after a career year in 2024 and Glenn talked about why keeping him was "critical."

“Really, really good communicator," Glenn said. "He (can) run, he has coverageability. And you just watch him on tape and the way that he like talks and reacts to all the players around him and the way the players react to him, like lets you know he is a true quarterback of a defense. And we want to make sure we have that on defense. So getting him … was critical for us to continue to build this defense."

Sherwood led the league with 98 solo tackles in 2024 and had 158 total tackles. Clearly, he is going to be a big piece of this defense over the next few years.

More NFL: Steelers Give Clearest Update On Ex-Jets QB Aaron Rodgers Yet