It's been hard to find many positives amid a 1-3 start to the season, but the New York Jets have shown flashes of improvement through the first four weeks. The offense is more reliable with quarterback Geno Smith under center, and the secondary isn't as big of a concern anymore , especially after offseason addition Minkah Fitzpatrick ended the interception drought last week.
That said, being two games below .500 means Gang Green still has improvements to make, with their pass rush among the most pressing concerns. Sure, they're tied for the 14th-most sacks (nine), but the Jets' pass rush enters Week 5 with the fourth-worst grade (58.3) on Pro Football Focus. On top of that, the unit lost Braiden McGregor, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this week with a season-ending pectoral tear.
Throw in the help that a big free-agent signing like Joseph Ossai hasn't given New York much pass-rushing help, and it's easy to see why general manager Darren Mougey needs to act fast before it's too late.
With no time to waste, the Jets added reinforcements, signing preseason darling Nate Lynn to the 53-man roster on Wednesday .
Lynn won't single-handedly fix the Jets' pass-rushing issues, but his promotion could be exactly what the unit needs as Ossai's production remains a concern.
The Jets penned Ossai to a three-year, $34.5 million contract in free agency, hoping he'd provide the pass rush with a much-needed boost. The former 2021 third-rounder was arguably being underused by the Bengals, and the Jets hoped a move to Gotham could unlock his full potential as a quarterback-seeking missile.
Instead, Ossai's start with the Jets has been rocky. A foot injury limited his availability throughout the summer, forcing him to miss the first two regular-season games. He eventually made his debut against the Detroit Lions in Week 3 and still hasn't done much, recording zero pressures and a career-low 52.6 pass-rush grade on PFF . He's also missed two of his 11 tackle attempts, giving him a lowly grade of 34.9.
Nonetheless, Ossai still has time to turn things around , but until that happens, his production is a problem. That's why it'd be huge for the Jets if Lynn could make an immediate impact against the Cleveland Browns this weekend.
Glenn & Co. have leaned on a five-man pass rush, featuring Ossai, McGregor, David Bailey, Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald IV. But with McGregor's season over, Enagbare missing last week's loss due to a knee injury, and Bailey and McDonald still looking for consistency, there's an opening for someone like Lynn to make some noise.
Nate Lynn might not get a better opportunity to impress the Jets' coaching staff than the one he has right now. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When McGregor was placed on IR, Lynn was the first potential practice squad promotion candidate that came to mind . The former Lions/Titans EDGE won Jets fans over with a strong preseason performance despite joining the team in mid-August, and now it's time to see whether his exhibition performance was a mirage or a sign of things to come.
Even though he appeared in two preseason games, Lynn made the most of his opportunities, recording five tackles (two solo) and six pressures (three sacks and three hurries) across 58 defensive snaps. His effort earned him an 80.4 PFF pass-rush grade , which actually led all Jets in the preseason.
Lynn isn't guaranteed to make a similar impact in the regular season, but everyone knows anything can happen on any given Sunday. The Browns' offensive line is solid for the most part, but still allowed Deshaun Watson to be sacked 11 times over four games, including a whopping five sacks in Week 1. Cleveland's signal-caller also struggles under heat, owning a 48.5% completion rate, 5.2 yards per attempt, and a 34.2 passing grade when pressured this season , per PFF .
Regardless of how many snaps he sees, Lynn needs to capitalize on every opportunity against the Browns. Despite both teams sporting inverse records, the Jets have a legitimate shot at winning on Sunday, and that starts with the pass rush-from Lynn to underperformers like Ossai-doing their job immediately off the bat.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jets/onsi as Nate Lynn's Jets Promotion Comes at Perfect Time as Joseph Ossai's Struggles Continue .
