Jets Swap Defensive Linemen In Trade With Titans

The Jets have retooled their defensive line by swapping one starter for another in a trade.

As first reported by Adam Schefter, the Jets are trading edge rusher Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat. A first-round pick of the Jets in the 2022 draft, Johnson departs after playing out his rookie deal, playing 14 games with 13 starts in 2025, rebounding from an injury-shortened 2024 campaign.

Sweat, meanwhile, was originally drafted by the Titans in the second round of the 2024 draft. Sweat played 12 games in 2025, all starts, and was used in a variety of alignments as a defensive tackle/nose tackle.

The Jets now get Sweat for the final two years of his rookie contract, at an average salary of $1.9 million. The Titans will turn to Johnson, who is on track to become an unrestricted free agent, for an extension or to pick up his fifth-year option for $13.4 million.

Schefter later described the Jets as "squarely in position" to take the best edge rusher available with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It's considered an excellent class at the position, headlined by Ohio State's Arvell Reese, Miami's Rueben Bain Jr., and Texas Tech's David Bailey. They'll have their pick of the group with the Raiders widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall.

The Jets obviously have a long way to go, as usual. But they're in position to land a can't-miss prospect at a premium position at the top of the draft, so they decided to clear the runway for that pick.