The NFL Mix started on Thursday and two of the league’s worst groups already made a giant time commerce. The New York Jets are sending defensive finish Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans in change for nostril deal with T’Vondre Sweat, which might tip the hand for each groups as we strategy the draft.
Johnson being dealt by the Jets isn’t stunning, if solely as a result of head coach Aaron Glenn has been cleansing home on the defensive facet of the ball since his arrival. Final season noticed the group commerce away each Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams forward of the commerce deadline — amassing draft capital and reshaping the protection within the course of. It’s unclear if Johnson’s mediocrity is a product of his personal efficiency, or whether or not it’s the Glenn system he didn’t reply to in 2025, however new Titans head coach Robert Saleh is banking on Johnson returning to the 7.5 sack type he gave the Jets in 2023.
Shifting Sweat for the Titans is essentially a product of match. At 6’4, 366 kilos, Sweat is the prototypical 3-4 nostril deal with designed to eat area within the center and command double blocks together with his energy to open up go rush lanes. Nevertheless, Tennessee is transferring to a 4-3 protection underneath Saleh, which each de-emphasizes the necessity for a space-eating nostril and requires them to get an even bigger pass-rusher on the sting. In the meantime, the Jets are making the inverse transfer, as they change to a 3-4 protection — which means they had been in dire want of a drive within the center.
Let’s look deeper at this deal from each side.
T’Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets
Should you’re going to attempt to land a nostril deal with, why not get one of many higher ones within the NFL? T’Vondre Sweat is totally unbelievable at each consuming area and producing stress up the center, which is uncommon for a person his dimension. Sweat has been neglected far an excessive amount of as a result of he performs on a horrible crew, and in truth, I’m shocked the Jets didn’t want to surrender the rest in return when it comes to draft capital to get this deal carried out. With regards to brass tacks, New York acquired the youthful, extra gifted participant on this change by a reasonably vital margin.
This now opens up New York to do the anticipated within the draft and take an EDGE with the No. 2 general decide. The method will shake out to see whether or not that’s Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain, or a darkish horse like David Bailey. No matter which path the go this was a 1-2 punch that offloaded a participant they didn’t want, and astronomically overhaul a place they wanted within the new-look 3-4.
Jermaine Johnson to the Titans
I completely perceive that the Titans want go rush as effectively, however the prime of the 2026 class may be very 3-4 heavy with Bain being iffy when positioned in a 4-3 function, then a profound drop off all the way in which to Keldric Faulk earlier than you discover a DE that’s straightforward to mission.
However, there’s a major expertise delta between Johnson and Sweat, even when the deal is sensible on paper. Sure, they didn’t want Sweat in a 4-3, nevertheless it feels just like the Titans undervalued him because of this. Jermaine Johnson is strong, however unremarkable. He’s a greater run defender off the sting than a pure go rusher, which is typified by the truth that he was pulled off the sector on many third-down go rush conditions in 2025. Layer in the truth that Johnson had a season-ending harm in 2024, and he’s the older participant — man, I don’t know, it simply feels just like the Titans might have put the screws to the Jets a bit extra and gotten a 3rd spherical pick of this deal as effectively.
On the plus facet this opens up the draft for them quite a bit. That’s the saving grace of this deal. If the Titans roll the cube on Bain projecting to a 4-3 finish they’ve their starters set on the place. They may dangle the No. 4 decide in a commerce to maneuver again, probably touchdown somebody like Faulk at a spot that makes extra sense or go deeper down for DT Peter Woods, who would match their 4-3 entrance whereas including vital draft capital within the course of.
The Titans have a number of choices, however they nonetheless ought to have been capable of wrestle a decide away from the Jets on this deal.
