Jets Should Consider Jermaine Johnson II Extension in Offseason

If he’s healthy at the end of the season, the Jets should begin working on an extension for Jermaine Johnson II immediately.

Johnson is one of the best players on the Jets defense. He is the best edge rusher, and definitely a top-two defensive lineman on the team. The only one who can compare is Quinnen Williams, but comparing those positions is a difficult task.

He helps set the edge against the run, and he’s a top pass rusher in the league as well.

So, he unequivocally deserves an extension after this season. So, let’s dive into how to build the contract.

Since the Jets exercised the fifth-year option, 2026 will have no new money. I wanted to make sure Johnson was in the top ten in the following categories: 2027-28 cash value, total contract value (new money), average annual value, fully guaranteed money, and total guarantees.

So I took the average of the top ten in each of those categories, and came up with this deal. This is how he’d rank in each category.

2027 cash: 5th
2028 cash: 5th
Total New Money: 6th
New Money AAV: 7th
Fully Guaranteed New Money: 8th
Total Guarantees: 6th

The extension is for 4 years, totaling $121,940,303, with $56,940,303 fully guaranteed at signing. The 2029 compensation will be guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed in March 2028.

If he doesn’t complete the contract in 2030, his dead cap charge would be $13,802,196, resulting in a cap savings of $27,318,502.

This is a market value contract (at the time of signing) and one that locks him in for four seasons, essentially. So, it would be prudent for the Jets to get on this as soon as they can, because the numbers will only go up.