Typically, when teams make decisions during the draft, it’s not only their own teams they factor in, but also teams they play and players they’ll see in their division. Enter the Jets’ decision to trade up for Jermaine Johnson.
In a teaser for an upcoming documentary for “1 Jets Drive”, head coach Robert Saleh shared with veteran NFL reporter Michael Silver the reasoning behind the Jets swinging a deal with the Tennessee Titans to move from 35 to 26 to select the Florida State edge.
Saleh mentioned his length and other factors that they liked, but there was also one key reason they wanted him, maybe more specifically, one key player: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
“Because we need to be able to chase Josh Allen,” Saleh told Silver.
Johnson and company did just that, helping prove Saleh’s point. Johnson pressured Allen twice and sacked him once in the 20-17 win in Week 9. “Well, that’s why we drafted him,” Saleh said.
In a clip from the Jets’ war room, general manager Joe Douglas is heard saying “If Josh Allen runs out of the pocket, this (expletive) can catch him.”
The Bills are who everyone is chasing in the AFC East (not exactly right now, but you get the point) and so the Jets knew they wanted to get their guy. So the Jets sent picks 35, 69 and 163 to the Titans for Nos. 26 and 101 to move back into the first round and select Johnson.
The documentary premieres on the Jets’ website Thursday at 8:00 p.m.
That's why we drafted @ii_jermaine.
1JD. Tonight. 8pm. pic.twitter.com/Nrr4AWezh2
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 17, 2022
