During the 2023 season, Quinton Jefferson enjoyed a career year with the New York Jets as a veteran defensive tackle playing alongside first-team All-Pro Quinnen Williams.
It allowed the now-31-year-old to receive a quality one-year, $4 million from the Cleveland Browns this offseason. A six-sack season the prior year will do that for an aging player.
Unfortunately for Jefferson, though, his 2024 campaign in Cleveland hasn't gone nearly as well as when he was in New York. Now, the Browns have released Jefferson ahead of the 4 pm trade deadline.
That's great news for a team like the Jets.
New York has a need along the interior of the defensive line with Leki Fotu going back on injured reserve and Javon Kinlaw struggling to make an impact - especially earlier in the season.
Jefferson had shown a penchant for success while playing next to Quinnen Williams. New York has struggled to find someone to fill that role ever since.
While Jefferson can be seen more as a pass-rushing interior specialist, he's also had experience as a solid run defender as well. Having a strong relationship with interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich certainly helps as well.
"Here's a guy from the outside looking in I always had tremendous respect for because of the player that he is and the strain that he puts on tape and the teammate that everybody spoke of that he is, and then to find out there was this other side of him," Ulbrich said back in 2023. "I just gained that much more respect and regard for this man. Just an exceptional human being."
A return to the Jets would make a lot of sense for both parties. And it's why the Gang Green should jump on Jefferson's rights before someone else does.
