The latest addition to the Jets adds a strong point rather than a weakness approach.
The team agreed on Sunday, with a confirmed source, an agreement with defensive striker Sheldon Rankins. The NFL network reported it was a two-year deal worth up to $ 17 million.
Rankins spent the last five seasons with the Saints, who ranked him 12th in 2016 in Louisville. The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder has started 33 games in New Orleans, but only one in the last two years. Injuries were a problem for Rankins. He was injured in the reserve in both 2019 and 2020, with ankle and knee injuries.
The Jets have to bet on Rankins, who turns 27 next month, and can now stay healthy. He is known as a strong defender, but does not generate much care. PFF credits him with 43 total pressures in 738 catches in the last two years. The site ranked him 65th in the 125 home defensive line. He has 17 ½ sacks and 44 approaches to losing his career. His best season was in 2018, when he had eight bags and 12 TFLs.
The defensive line is one of the few strengths of the Jets. They have a flower star there in Quinnen Williams, besides Folorunso Fatukasi and John Franklin-Myers, who showed their promise. Defending new coach Robert Saleh with the 49ers had a lot of good defensive lines, though, so the Jets saw the chance to give Saleh extra help in the Rankins position.