Jermaine out to lift standard with Jets
After playing 22% of the Jets’ snaps in 2022 as a rookie, Jermaine Johnson said during the summer that he didn’t recognize the player he saw on film.
Following the end of 2023 campaign, Johnson — who became a full-time starter this season — was asked how he believed his second season in the league went.
“It was all right, not my standard,” Johnson said. “Gotta put the work in the offseason to work as hard as I’ve ever worked.” What is Johnson’s standard? “That’s the thing, every time I think I’ve reached it, I just keep pushing,” he said. “I don’t know. I just keep pushing my limits, and by the time it’s all said and done, I know I would’ve done the best I could.”
Johnson was a dominating force coming out of Florida State. In 2021, he won ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the Seminoles after registering 70 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.
That led the Jets to select Johnson in the first round of the 2022 draft with the 26th overall pick. But Johnson received little playing time, unlike his peers Sauce Gardner (fourth overall) and Garrett Wilson (10th), who won the 2022 Defensive and Offensive Rookie of the Year awards.
“It didn’t bother me,” Johnson said. “Those are my brothers, and they deserve every ounce of that. I never looked at it like ‘nobody is looking at me.’ What comes my way is meant for me and what doesn’t isn’t it. It is my job to make sure I get the best out of myself for these guys in this locker room.”
Johnson totaled 2.5 sacks and 29 tackles in 14 games in 2022. That led to him adding muscle last offseason, working out four or five times a week, twice a day. All of Johnson’s hard work eventually paid off. He finished with 55 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. He was named a fifth alternate for the Pro Bowl.
After his stellar season, the 25-year-old already believes he is one of the best edge rushers in the NFL.
“One hundred percent,” Johnson said. “You ask anybody in the
NFL, from staff to players, just based on the film. I’m a problem.”
In the upset victory over the Eagles in Week 6, Johnson’s pass deflections led to two Jalen Hurts interceptions. His highlight play of the season came against the Browns in Week 17. Johnson deflected Joe Flacco’s pump-fake pass to himself and returned the interception 37 yards for a touchdown.
“He is a guy that is just … he is rare,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “The fact that a lot of times you get an end that has got great pass rush, he has got great speed and bend and an arsenal of moves, and that is his superpower. Or you have got the really tough, rough run defenders that set violent edges and they are disruptive in the run game.
“He is a guy that has developed the entire game. He is a violent edge-setter, he is great on first and second down from that standpoint. His backside chase is unmatched, in my opinion, his effort and finish, but at the same time, he has grown tremendously also as a pass rusher and is just learning what works for him. I think that’s, at the end of the day, what really makes really good pass rushers, what is your fastball, what are you great at, and he started to really learn through his physical skills what he can really use as a pass rush arsenal, so he has taken this huge jump.”
Johnson and the Jets finished with a 7-10 record, the same as the 2022 season. The Jets are now hoping they can take the next step and make the playoffs with Aaron Rodgers returning, along with their defense that finished third in yards (292.3) and 12th in points allowed (20.9).
Johnson believes the key is simple consistency.
“Definitely eliminate the explosive plays,” Johnson said. “Starting and finishing strong. Full four quarters, putting a full four quarters together as a defense. Special teams, I know those guys balled out this year and keep stacking on that.
“I know our D-Line room, I think we finished with 43 sacks this year, which is pretty awesome. I know we are going to look to break that next year.”