Jets Make Splash, Add Bengals Joseph Ossai on 3-Year, $36 Million Deal

The Jets have made a few moves to bolster their defense as free agency kicks off on Monday...

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) walks for the locker room with trainers in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 14 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. The Bills overcame a halftime deficit to win 39-34. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Early on Monday morning, the New York Jets took a big swing on the trade market, per NFL insider Adam Schefter, by trading a seventh-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

"Trade: The Miami Dolphins are sending Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets in exchange for the 2026 seventh-round pick from the Chargers, per ESPN sources," Schefter wrote in a post to Twitter/X on Monday. "The Jets will sign Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $40 million deal, per his agent Drew Rosenhaus."

This addition continues to move the Jets in the right direction with their defense, but they quickly made another move to bolster the unit.

Schefter reported on Monday that the Jets had agreed to a three-year, $36 million deal with Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Joseph Ossai this offseason.

Jets strike gold with Joseph Ossai signing on Monday

Dec 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) runs onto the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

"Jets reached agreement today with DE Joseph Ossai on a 3-year, $36 million deal that includes $22.5M fully guaranteed, per David Mulugheta at Athletes First," Schefter wrote in a post to Twitter/X on Monday.

The Jets are seemingly looking to create a defense in head coach Aaron Glenn's vision. After trading Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for T'Vondre Sweat, the Jets find an easy replacement on the edge. They're likely still going to go after an edge rusher with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ossai, 25, is a huge addition for the future of New York. He's slowly been working his way into a bigger role with the Bengals, but he should have a better chance to succeed on the Jets defense with Glenn leading the way.

Ossai, Will McDonald IV, and a draft pick will likely fill out a very high quality edge rushing unit for the Jets.

The Jets pair this move with the Sweat and Fitzpatrick additions from the last few weeks. They've also added a few other impact defensive players in free agency. The next step is going to be diving into the NFL draft to add a few more impact players to Glenn's defense.