Why the Jets' Defensive Line Is Their Most Disappointing Position After 3 Games

Gang Green has come up short in some areas, but none are as worrying as the DL.

Sunday's loss to the Lions showed why the Jets' DL is a major concern heading into September. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Two draft picks, a trade and $33.5 million.

That's how much the Jets poured into their defensive line this offseason. After finishing as a bottom-two team in both pressure rate and sacks in 2025, New York understood it needed to be better up front going into the 2026 NFL season.

Through three games, the numbers may be better, but the results have stayed the same. The Jets rank tied for sixth in the league in sacks this season. Standout rookie David Bailey and free-agent pickup Kingsley Enagbare have led the charge there. New York's pressure rate is also 10th in the league.

So why was the Jets' defeat to the Lions such a disappointment? Why did it seem like the group got mauled from the very first snap?

It's because they did, and it highlights some of the major failings of the group through three games. Even head coach Aaron Glenn knows that.

"It's disappointing in the fact of we don't want to be a defense that gives up 31 points," Glenn said. "We don't want to be a defense that gives up the amount of yards we probably gave up."

If Glenn & Co. want that reputation to change, there's a lot to clean up along the Jets' defensive line.

Jets' DL showed alarming traits in loss to Lions

It's not just pressure rate or sacks that determine a good defensive line. New York's inability to stop Detroit's run game and consistently pressure Jared Goff were key reasons why Gang Green lost on Sunday.

There is also an alarming look in their run fits as well. Detroit gashed New York repeatedly in outside zone runs where the running back cut against the grain to pick up big yardage. Other teams in the Jets' schedule—such as the Bears (Week 4) and Raiders (Week 8)—employ the outside zone look.

One player who struggled mightily with that system was edge rusher Joseph Ossai. He was another player who was brought in during free agency to help fix their line. Instead, his debut with the Jets was nothing more than a disappointment—much like the entire group—as he finished with poor Pro Football Focus grades regarding run stoppage (37.4), tackling (24.3) and overall defense (37.8).

"I want to be out there earning sweat points with the guys," Ossai said. "Feeling all the frustrations, all the victories, all the positivity, and even the negative things. We are on a climb up, moving forward and one day at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day. It's Week 3."

Joseph Ossai's underwhelming 2026 debut didn't exactly do the Jets' defensive line any favors. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Perhaps Ossai gets better with more reps. That is certainly possible, considering he has recorded five sacks in each of the last two seasons.

Stopping the run will be important for the Jets, and Ossai, along with others along the line, will need to improve in that area as well.

Jets' DL must turn things around (and soon)

Much has been made of the Jets' record-long drought without an interception. So far, it has reached 20 straight games. Many will blame the secondary for that mark.

The reality? It falls on the defensive line.

Cornerbacks and safeties have to be perfect to get into the right position to make a play on the ball. They also benefit, of course, when a quarterback is baited into a bad throw or is pressured into making a mistake.

Through three games this season, the Jets haven't done a good enough job pressuring quarterbacks into mistakes. Their 57.5 PFF pass rush grade is the fourth-worst mark in the league. Until that changes, New York's defensive line will remain the team's biggest disappointment.

After pouring so many resources into improving the situation, it's clear that the Jets still don't have enough right now.

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