Jets 2023 Make or Break: Can Jermaine Johnson take his game to the next level?
NFL training camp starts towards the end of July, which means players around the league are getting their last bits of offseason work in before the real work of trying to make the roster begins.
For certain players, this season is what some may call “Make or Break,” meaning they need to put together a productive year or they could be looking for employment elsewhere at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
We’ll highlight those players for the Jets, continuing today with defensive end Jermaine Johnson.
2022 Stats
- 14 games (no starts)
- 29 tackles, three tackles for loss
- One blocked punt, one safety
- 2.5 sacks, five quarterback hits
Why Make or Break?
Johnson once again looks set to start the season off on the bench with Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers entrenched as the starting defensive ends, but he figures to see plenty of action in the Jets’ heavy rotation.
With Lawson out of contract at the end of the season, this presents an opportunity for Johnson to really establish himself as a potential starting option for 2024. However, the team also drafted Will McDonald so Johnson can’t just rest on his laurels because if he falters and McDonald develops quickly, Johnson could find himself on the bench next season too.
What will break it?
The main area Johnson needs to improve based on his 2022 season is in terms of generating pressure at a higher rate. Although he had 2.5 sacks, he only had three other pressures in his first nine games. He did show some development towards the end of the year, though, with seven pressures in the last three weeks. That coincided with the Jets giving him more situational pass rush reps.
Staying healthy is obviously crucial too. Johnson missed three games to an ankle injury last season, costing him valuable experience at a time when they were primed to increase his workload. With so many talented defensive linemen on the team, anyone who loses their spot in the pecking order could struggle to win it back.
He cannot afford to have lapses against the run, either. In 2022, there were a few big plays where Johnson took himself out of the play by being over-aggressive.
What will make it?
Johnson has already shown that he can be productive against the run, which bodes well for his potential future in a starting role. Young players are often further along as pass rushers than run defenders, which makes them a liability on first and second down and eats into their time on the field. With Johnson already looking like the finished product against the run, he should get more opportunities overall.
Once he has those opportunities, Johnson will be hoping to build on his strong finish to 2022 and create more pressure than he did last year. He’ll be looking for more signature moments like his crucial sack on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen that saw him chase the pro bowler down from behind with the score tied in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ upset win. The Bills ended up having to punt and the Jets drove downfield for the game-winning field goal on the ensuing possession.
Johnson’s comfort level within the system and in terms of his preparation generally should be improved now that he’s had his first season at the professional level. He has indicated as much in a recent interview with the team’s official website, with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich also praising his maturity.
By all accounts, he appears primed to make a jump in terms of his physicality too. Johnson said he has worked hard to improve his strength and explosiveness and that his teammates have been taking notice of his progress.
