The New York Jets are kicking the tires on a talented edge defender.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter shared on social media that former San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Drake Jackson “has been cleared from his knee injury and has visits set up this weekend and next week with the Jets, Commanders, and Ravens.”
The talented pass rusher missed half of the 2023 season and the entire 2024 season due to complications from a torn patellar tendon. He was waived by the 49ers in May of 2025.
Jackson Is an Intriguing Dart Throw for the Jets to Consider
The former USC product entered the league as the No. 61 overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.
He spent three years with the Trojans in college. He collected 12.5 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, two interceptions, a fumble recovery, four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.
“Jackson lacks play strength but has the frame to add muscle and mass. He’s a loose-limbed, restless pass rusher with the activity level to find angles and openings in both his primary and secondary rush. However, he lacks successful counters to do it consistently against stronger tackles. Jackson also lacks the take-on toughness and functional anchor needed to hold up at the point on run downs. He has developmental rush potential, but needs a major upgrade in grit and technique against the run,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his combine profile of Jackson in 2022.
Jackson has been in the NFL for three seasons. Across his first two, Jackson collected six sacks, nine quarterback hits, nine pass deflections, an interception, and five tackles for loss.
This Is a Long Overdue Exploration for the Green and White
The Jets‘ sifting through available defensive ends is long overdue.
This team has been lacking depth at the position since the start of the offseason. That lack of depth has reared its ugly head for the Jets in 2025.
The two starting defensive ends for the Jets on paper were supposed to be Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald.
Johnson is coming off a torn Achilles tendon from the 2024 season. The Jets should have added a significant depth piece behind him so they wouldn’t feel pressured to play Johnson more than they should coming off a serious injury.
In Week 1, Johnson played 89% of the defensive snaps versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Throughout the season, Johnson has been listed on the injury report with an “ankle” issue that has forced him to miss the last two games. Johnson hasn’t practiced this week for the Jets and likely will miss a third straight game.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said this injury issue is unrelated to the Achilles injury from last season, but it’s hard not to draw a connection.
McDonald’s Snaps Have Been Limited Due to His Deficiencies
McDonald is a very talented pass rusher, but he lacks in other parts of his game.
In Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins, McDonald only appeared in 53% of the defensive snaps. Micheal Clemons played significantly more (71%) of the defensive snaps.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini said on social media that McDonald “continues to be removed on some run downs.”
In other words, the Jets need help at defensive end, and Jackson would be someone who would upgrade that unit.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jets in Talks With Much Needed 24-Year-Old Pass Rusher: Report appeared first on Heavy Sports.