The New York Jets will send edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II to Tennessee in return for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, according to multiple sources. For Tennessee, the move addresses a need for more pressure off the edge alongside standout defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
Johnson, 26, was selected 26th overall by New York in the 2022 NFL Draft during Robert Saleh’s tenure as head coach. Now leading the Titans, Saleh reunites with a player he once helped develop. Johnson’s time with the Jets featured flashes of high-end production, including a Pro Bowl season in 2023 when he recorded 7.5 sacks. Across four years, he compiled 131 total tackles, 13 sacks, and one interception.
His momentum was interrupted by an Achilles tear just two games into the 2024 campaign. Though he returned to post 43 tackles and three sacks last season, he never quite regained his earlier form. The Jets exercised his fifth-year option, meaning he will carry a $13.411 million cap hit in 2026 before potentially reaching free agency in 2027.
Johnson posted on X: “New York, thank you for everything truly. The love I’ve been shown here for the past 4-5 years has been nothing short of amazing, both on and off the field. Y’all will always hold a special place in my heart. Wish all of my former coaches and former teammates the best!! Thank all of y’all for sharing a battlefield with me. 11 out
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Meanwhile, in acquiring Sweat, the Jets add size and run-stopping strength to the interior of their defensive front. The 6-foot-4, 366-pound lineman was chosen in the second round of the 2024 draft out of Texas. Over two seasons and 29 games, he has totaled 85 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. While not known primarily for sack production, Sweat’s presence in the middle helps occupy blockers and shore up a run defense that struggled at times. Sweat remains under contract through 2027 and is scheduled to count roughly $1.7 million against the cap in 2026, far less than Johnson’s figure.
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