Jets Hit Jackpot With 2025's 3-Year, $45 Million Signing

The Jets made a few big decisions last offseason and the Jamien Sherwood deal has aged very well...

Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) carries the ball after a reception defended by New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The New York Jets are in a very intriguing spot as a franchise right now. They have some talent on the roster, like Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, but they're still one of the worst teams in the league because of their spotty roster and the lack of a franchise quarterback.

As a result, the Jets opted to make a few big trades at the trade deadline to send Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys. In return, the Jets landed a pair of young players and a haul of draft picks to help build the team from the ground up. This offseason, they opted to trade Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

But they've been making moves to improve their roster for more than just a few months. Dating all the way back to last offseason when the Jets hired Aaron Glenn to be their head coach, they've been trying to push the team in his vision.

Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano recently put together each NFL team's biggest hit and biggest miss in free agency last season. For the Jets, the biggest hit was signing Jamien Sherwood to a three-year, $45 million deal.

Jamien Sherwood's deal was the perfect move for the Jets

Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) carries the ball against New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) during the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

"Sherwood still played with the same high motor after receiving a three-year, $45 million contract extension. He recorded 154 total tackles, eight for loss and two sacks," Manzano wrote.

Sherwood was a very solid linebacker for the Jets. He might not have been a superstar, but he's exactly who the Jets need him to be. The veteran linebacker is a leader on the Jets defense and he's stepped up in a big way with all the players being traded. He also stepped up in a big wasy as veteran linebacker Quincy Williams struggled at times.

Interestingly enough, Sherwood has found his name mixed up in trade rumors early this offseason, likely because of that contract the Jets signed him to. While he's valuable on the field for the Jets, he could be used in a trade if there's a team willing to pay a lot of draft capital to land him.

Either way, it was a good decision by the Jets to sign him to this three-year deal last offseason.