This has been one hell of an offseason for New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood.
He became an unrestricted free agent for the very first time. The former Auburn product was handsomely rewarded with a brand new $45 million contract, making him one of the top-five highest-paid linebackers in football, per Over The Cap.
However, Jets beat reporter Nick Faria listed Sherwood among the top players under the most pressure heading into training camp.
“Sherwood’s standing on the roster is unquestioned, especially after signing a $45 million extension this offseason. There isn’t really an issue with the young linebacker. This offseason will put more pressure on him than previous years, though, now that he has officially replaced C.J. Mosley at the position,” Faria explained. “Sherwood will need to prove he can both play and lead as effectively as Mosley did during his time with the team.”
Sherwood Won’t Be Surprising People in 2025
2024 appeared to be going the same way as the three years before it.
Sherwood, 25, was a backup linebacker who was a part of a rotation that also contributed on special teams.
The top two players at his position, Quincy Williams and Mosley, were firing on all cylinders. On paper, there didn’t appear to be a clear path to the starting lineup.
However, the injury bug bit Mosley, and everything changed. Mosley went down with toe and neck injuries during the 2024 season, which thrust Sherwood into the starting lineup.
Before the 2024 campaign, Sherwood had started a grand total of seven games across three years. The greater NFL had no idea who he was. Sherwood used the element of surprise to his advantage.
He delivered a career year, racking up 158 tackles (top five in the league), three pass deflections, two sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.
Sherwood deserves a massive amount of credit for seizing the day. The timing couldn’t have worked out better. After showing what he was capable of, Sherwood was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler told me on “Boy Green Daily” that NFL teams were foaming at the mouth for the chance to sign Sherwood in free agency. He was expected to have a lot of serious interest. Sherwood chose to stay with the Jets and cashed in big.
There won’t be any surprises in 2025. The rest of the league knows exactly who he is, and with a bigger paycheck comes larger expectations from the fans, his teammates, and the front office.
There Is a Hidden Pressure for Sherwood That No One Is Talking About
A new regime took over the Jets this offseason.
Head coach Aaron Glenn was hired first, followed shortly thereafter by general manager Darren Mougey. Their playbook was the same: keep really good football players, especially your own.
Sherwood became the first cog in that machine to deliver on the field and then get rewarded off of it with a new deal.
Mougey and Glenn want that to be the identity of the Jets moving forward. Sherwood is the face of that movement, and several others could soon join him.
Some players change after getting paid.
Muhammad Wilkerson crushed it for the Jets through the first five seasons of his career. He racked up 36.5 sacks, 57 tackles for loss, 85 quarterback hits, 10 forced fumbles, and 22 pass deflections. The fan base begged the organization to reward one of their own whom they had drafted.
Gang Green obliged, handing Wilkerson a record-breaking $86 million contract. After getting paid, Wilkerson immediately fell off a cliff both on and off the field. The Jets ended up cutting him just two years into his blockbuster contract.
The Jets trusted Wilkerson, believed in him, and invested in him. Wilkerson broke that faith. Fast forward through a few different regime changes, and they’re now once again investing in a homegrown talent. It’s now on Sherwood to return the favor by delivering both on and off the field.
