Beleaguered Jets defense getting boost with Jermaine Johnson’s return

HERTFORDSHIRE, England — The beleaguered defense of the Jets will get a key piece back Sunday against the Broncos. 

Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson is going to play after missing the last three games with an ankle injury. Johnson has watched the Jets struggle without him. The 0-5 team has one of the worst defenses in the NFL, allowing 31.4 points per game and getting zero takeaways. 

Johnson said that before the Jets left for England on Monday, the defensive players met to talk things out. 

“Just taking full accountability, 100 percent,” Johnson said. “We had a players only meeting. Everybody’s on the same page. We have to be better. We can’t be the reason we lose. That can’t happen. We have too much talent. 

“Coach [Aaron Glenn] has had our back in terms of how he’s run this thing, instilling a certain culture in here. We’ve got to have his back by putting a good product out there. That’s our job. We definitely take full accountability.” 

Johnson could help a pass rush that has been shaky. The Jets only have seven sacks this season and four of them came in Week 1 against the Steelers. They had one sack against the Cowboys last week and it was on a play where quarterback Dak Prescott gave himself up. 

Johnson had 7 ½ sacks in 2023 before missing all but two games last year with a torn Achilles tendon. 

“It’s not a talent issue,” Johnson said. “It’s utilizing this thing here [pointing to head] and playing the game within the game. I’m just excited to be back and help out how I can and definitely put some stuff on tape that we haven’t the past couple of weeks.” 

The latest injury had to test Johnson’s patience. He spent a year coming back from the Achilles tear and was in the lineup for the start of the season. Then, he went down in Week 2 against the Bills and has had to watch the last three games. Johnson would not say if the ankle he injured is his right one, the one that he had the torn Achilles in last year, but he made it sound like there was concern about reinjuring the tendon. 

“Just a little tweak of the ankle but just want to make sure it’s not tied to anything else,” Johnson said. “[We] want to make sure everything is done the right way because an Achilles injury can definitely come back real fast. Playing a lot, you just want to make sure everything is good and you want to make sure you don’t mess up anywhere.” 

The Jets need Johnson back. They have received little production from the players who have taken his place. Glenn was happy to see the 2022 first-round pick back on the field at practice. 

“Just being able to get a good, quality player that we know is going to help us,” Glenn said. “It’s always good to get that player back. He does bring an edge to him. He’s another guy that can get after the quarterback. Any time you can bring that level of player on our team back from injury it’s always good.” 

Johnson was asked by an English reporter what his pitch would be to local fans who are wondering if they should root for the Jets. Johnson said the Jets want to turn their season around Sunday. 

“We haven’t put a good product out there, at least defensively,” Johnson said. “We definitely look to flip that coin and give them something to cheer for Sunday.”