Jets LB Kingsley Enagbare: Prove It Year for New York’s No. 25 Player in 2026

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Kingsley Enagbare (55) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kicking off our ranking of the top 25 most important Jets for 2026 is none other than veteran pass rusher Kingsley Enagbare.

Enagbare is entering his first year with the club after spending the first four years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. The Jets gave the 26-year-old linebacker a one-year deal worth $9 million, which includes $8.49 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus in free agency in March.

That’s a nice chunk of change for an outside linebacker who has only posted 11.5 sacks across 68 career games. That said, the Jets aren’t looking for Enagbare to be a sack artist this season. They have David Bailey and Will McDonald IV for that. Instead, New York is looking for him to help it set the edge and be better against the run. It's well documented that the Jets had one of the worst run defenses in the league last season, allowing 139.5 yards per game (fourth-most in the NFL).

Needless to say, if Enagbare can help bring that number down and can generate consistent pressure this season, there’s no reason to think the Jets wouldn’t be interested in bringing him back on a long-term deal, given that he’s still fairly young in his career.

Let’s discuss what he brings to the table and where he can improve, as his performance will be paramount to a defensive turnaround in 2026.

Why Kingsley Enagbare is so important

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Kingsley Enagbare (55) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With the Jets struggling to get pressure last season (26 sacks, second-fewest in the league) and lacking quality depth, they needed to bring in a guy like Enagbare, who will fit Aaron Glenn’s multiple defensive schemes.

Last year, McDonald led the Jets with eight sacks; the rest of their edge rushers (Jermaine Johnson II, Braiden McGregor, and Michael Clemons) combined for five sacks. That type of production off the edge will not get it done this season.

That being said, the ex-Packers defender can not only play defensive end, which he did the last two years in Jeff Hafley’s scheme, but he also has the versatility to line up inside.

Enagbare doesn’t have the speed of Will McDonald IV or David Bailey (4.5 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine), but at 6-foot-4 and 258 pounds, he plays with power and physicality combined with a good motor. He doesn’t give up on a play until the whistle is blown.

For a team like the Jets, which is trying to establish a culture in Glenn’s second year, having the 26-year-old in rotation behind Bailey, McDonald IV, and Ossai will be huge.

Kingsley Enagbare’s strengths and weaknesses

The first two strengths that jump off the page are Enagbare's versatility on the defensive line and his effectiveness in stopping the run.

According to Pro Football Focus, Enagbare had a 60.9 run defense grade and made 20 stops (tackles that PFF grades a "failure" for the offense) with the Packers last season, which is not bad for a rotational defensive lineman who received more playing time due to Rashan Gary’s ineffectiveness.

Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell (6) during the third quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

He might be asked to do the same here with the Jets, especially given some concern about McDonald and Bailey in run defense. Last year, McDonald had a 41.4 run defense grade, which won’t cut it this year. However, having Enagbare behind McDonald can take pressure off him and allow him to focus on getting after the passer.

As for his versatility, we mentioned it earlier. In his last two years with the Packers, the veteran defender saw an increase in snaps playing defensive tackle. It wasn’t an astronomical amount, but going from three total snaps in his first two years to 45 towards the end of his Packers’ tenure is notable.

The interior of the Jets’ defensive line might be the best position group on defense, as they have T’Vondre Sweat, Harrison Phillips, Jowon Briggs, Darrell Jackson, and David Onyemata.

If those guys play up to their standard, opposing offenses will have a tough time picking up yards on the ground. Onyemata has the same versatility as Enagbare, so it could allow Glenn and defensive coordinator Brian Duker to mix and match some things.

Lastly, as for Enagbare’s weaknesses, he doesn’t get a lot of sacks. The newest Jet only has 11.5 sacks in his four-year career, including two last year in Green Bay, despite playing 42% of defensive snaps.

According to Pro Football Focus, the former South Carolina Gamecock posted a 58.5 pass rush grade last season, which is better than what he did in 2024 (56.8). However, it's still an area where he can improve.

Even though he didn’t get many sacks, Enagbare still had 25 pressures (17 hurries), which illustrates his motor and ability to get after the QB. It will be interesting to see if defensive line coach Karl Dunbar can help the ex-Packer take his game to the next level, making him more of a complete player.

What happens if Kingsley Enagbare gets hurt

Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) reacts during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

If the Jets were to lose Enagbare at any point during the regular season, it would hurt the run defense.

However, the Jets could give more snaps to Joseph Ossai, whom they signed to a three-year, $34.5 million contract in free agency. Ossai is in the same vein as Enagbare; both were rotational defenders on their previous teams and are looking for bigger roles here in New York.

Ossai might offer a bit more upside as a pass rusher than Enagbare, as he’s recorded five sacks in back-to-back seasons with the Bengals. The 26-year-old edge rusher is also stout in run defense, posting a 70.7 grade, per Pro Football Focus.

Onyemata could also factor into the mix. As mentioned above, he's on a one-year deal and has the versatility to move around the defensive line and has been a good defender against the run.

Why we ranked Kingsley Enagbare here

Green Bay Packers defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) sneaks a peek into the backfield against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Given he’s new to the team and looking to have an expanded role and prove himself for his next contract, the fit in New York makes a ton of sense and makes him a valuable piece of this defense. But the need to prove himself also keeps him from ranking any higher.

The other options we had on the table were Jarvis Brownlee, Andre Cisco, Austin McNamara, and Azareye’h Thomas. Honestly, you could make a case for all of those guys to be in the 25th spot, as they all could play an important role in turning this defense around.

However, when you look at Enagbare and what he does against the run, along with being on a one-year prove-it deal, he has the room and potential to break out in New York. Having Glenn calling the plays on defense this season could unlock Enagbare and put him in spots to succeed, as he’ll get to play next to guys like McDonald, Bailey, and the veteran DTs in the interior.

If Enagbare can get four sacks, which would be the second-most in his career, and would be one more than Johnson had last year, and he does his job setting the edge against the run, the Jets would be foolish not to bring him back for 2027.