Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman David Onyemata (90) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It was quite the day for Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn at 1 Jets Drive where Gang Green agreed to terms (not yet official) with five free agents, all on the defensive side of the ball. It was a mix of youth, experience, versatility and value. Passing on any big ticket free agents, the Jets improved their roster significantly which should help them avoid getting run over by opposing offenses in 2026…should.
Let’s break it all down.
S Minkah Fitzpatrick from Miami for a 2026 7th round pick:
Odd to start a free agency review with a player who wasn’t a free agent, but was likely going to be had the Jets not stepped in and offered the Dolphins a draft pick. Fitzpatrick built his reputation as an elite ballhawk in the early 2020s but as of late has been anything but. While he has spent more time playing in the box, that doesn’t explain intercepting just two passes in three seasons.
Despite appearing to be on the decline however, Fitzpatrick is still a reliable and trusted veteran whose presense makes the Jets secondary better than it was last season.
LB Demario Davis, 2 yrs/$22 million:
It’s a third stint in Green and White for Davis who has had an incredible career. The 37-year-old linebacker has racked up 100 tackles or more in 9 straight seasons and averaged over 100 a year for his career. He’s a force against the run and for his age, better than you might expect in coverage. His greatest value with the Jets however, could come as a mentor/role model for a very young roster. If there’s one guy in the league you want to serve as a model for how to prepare and the right way to behave off the field, Davis is it.
DE/OLB Joseph Ossai, 3 years/$36 million:
A quality depth piece who still has room to grow as a player and should fit in well in the Jets new 3-4 defense. The 6′ 4” 263 pound Ossai comes over from the Bengals where he had 5 sacks and 43 tackles as a rotational player with nine starts. Of his nine starts last year, five of them came in the Bengals final five contests that saw Ossai rack up 21 tackles, two sacks, and six quarterback hits. In Ossai, Aaron Glenn gets a young defender who appears to be on the rise.
DE/OLB Kingsley Enagbare, 1 year/$10 million:
Like Ossaid, Enagbare gives the Jets another DE/OLB type with good size at 6′ 4” 258. Like Ossai, Enagbare might not be an elite talent, but he’s a quality depth piece who can hold his own as a pass rusher and against the run. Also like Ossai, Enagbare is still young enough to improve in the near future which the Jets had to like.
DT David Onyemata, 1 year/$10.5 million
Familiar with Aaron Glenn from their time together in New Orleans, Onyemata gives the Jets another stout run defender who should pair nicely with the recently acquired T’Vondre Sweat in short-yardage and obvious running situations. Onyemata racked up an impressive 74.2 run defense grade from PFF who also credited him with 28 “stops” which PFF defines as a stop that constitutes a failure by the offense.
S Dane Belton, 1 year/$4.8 million
Belton may turn out to be the best bang for buck addition of this group. The safety comes over from the New York Giants where he was an ace on special teams and a play maker on defense. In four pro seasons, mostly as a backup, Belton has managed to rack up six interceptions, 16 PBUs, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 8 tackles for loss. Belton is an uber-athletic defender with excellent speed, anticipation and consistently takes good angles. Perhaps the most encouraging stat on Belton is his 4.1% missed tackle rate as the Jets have dealt with poor tackling from their safeties for years.