Jets Urged To Sign 8-Year NFL Veteran, Ex-Bears Starter

Would this be a smart last-minute pickup?

Dec 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end DeMarcus Walker (95) takes the field prior to a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images | Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

Football season is fast approaching, and the New York Jets' front office has been taking care of business.

By extending wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner, first-time general manager Darren Mougey is proving that he believes in his team as a legitimate playoff threat, both now and in the future.

As the Jets try to break their 15-year playoff drought, Mougey can now shift his attention to whittling down a 53-man roster for the regular season. But could that roster still use one more addition on the defensive front?

FanSided's Justin Fried thinks so. On Monday, Fried urged the Jets to sign former Chicago Bears starting defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who remains a free agent after an eight-year career to this point.

Walker is a known commodity to both Jets general manager Darren Mougey, who was in Denver when Walker was drafted, and new defensive line coach Eric Washington, who worked directly with him last season in Chicago.

It's possible the Jets are content with their current corp of defensive ends battling it out this summer, but Walker would instantly step in as likely the team's top backup behind Will McDonald and a still-recovering Jermaine Johnson.

No one is going to mistake Walker for T.J. Watt, but he played all 34 games for the last two years with the Bears, totaling seven sacks and 45 quarterback pressures. The 30-year-old has also played for the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans.

It's unclear whether the market is hot for Walker at the moment, but he's healthy and coming off a relatively productive year, so it would be a surprise if no team takes a flier on him by the start of the season.

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