Kingsley Enagbare Is Already a Huge Jets Unknown Despite $9 Million Deal

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

The New York Jets should have a much-improved pass rush in 2026 after the unit recorded the second-fewest sacks (26) in the NFL last season. Will McDonald IV and rookie David Bailey will lead the way for the Jets at their starting outside linebacker spots. 

Despite their limitations as run defenders, head coach Aaron Glenn hopes their sack production will make up for it. In addition to those two guys, the Jets will also use Joseph Ossai across the defense, whom they signed to a three-year deal in free agency. 

Ossai hasn’t been a full-time starter throughout his career, and that likely won’t change in New York. However, they should try to get Ossai on the field a ton, as he’s coming off back-to-back five-sack seasons. Then that leaves Kingsley Enagbare, who signed a hefty one-year, $9 million deal in free agency.

Before the Jets added Bailey in the draft, there was a path towards considerable playing time for the ex-Packers defender as a rotation guy. However, that path is quite crowded now, as Bailey, McDonald, and Ossai offer more as pass rushers, which is not Enagbare’s specialty.

Therefore, how and where can the Jets get the best out of the former Packers defensive end? We will try to answer that question, as he’s taking a huge gamble on a team that was once devoid of pass-rushing talent but now has an abundance of it.

Jets must figure out where Kingsley Enagbare fits in their D-line rotation

The 26-year-old defensive end isn’t much of a sack artist compared to his counterparts. He has recorded 11.5 sacks in his first four years in the NFL. However, Enagbare has 51 QB pressures and 25 tackles for loss, which shows that he’ll still be a nuisance.

But where Enagbare might help the Jets the most is stopping the run, which was a huge issue last year (139.5 yards per game allowed). According to Pro Football Focus, Enagbare had a 64.5 run defense grade in 220 snaps with the Packers last season.

That’s a solid number for a rotational defender, and it was better than what the Jets were getting from McDonald IV (41.4) and Jermaine Johnson II (58.2). The latter isn’t on the team anymore, as he was traded to the Titans in exchange for T’Vondre Sweat, who is a stellar addition to the DT spot and will factor in on run defense.

Since Enagbare is on the bigger side at 6-foot-4 and 258 pounds, the Jets could move him around the line, regardless of whether they’re in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. The last two years with the Packers, he played in a 4-3 scheme and saw some snaps as a defensive tackle.

The Jets currently have enough talent at defensive tackle with Harrison Phillips, T’Vondre Sweat, and rookie Durrell Jackson Jr. Then there’s veteran David Onyemata, who was signed to a one-year, $10.5 million deal and can also line up at defensive tackle.

In fact, one could argue that Onyemata is a better run defender than Enagbare. Over his last three years with the Falcons, Onyemata had run defense grades of 74.2, 64.5, and 77.1, per Pro Football Focus.

If you take a little bit of stock in PFF grades, the outlook on where Enagbare fits on the Jets’ defense is not great. $9 million for a rotational defender is not a great use of resources. But if New York were to lose someone to injury during the season, they’d have a versatile defender looking to prove he belongs and isn’t an unknown.