Jets Make Massive $45 Million Splash to Lock Down 25-Year-Old

The New York Jets have made their first free agent splash of the Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey era.

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz shared on Sunday, March 9 that the Jets are re-signing linebacker Jamien Sherwood to a three-year $45 million contract with $30 million guaranteed.

Breaking: Standout LB Jamien Sherwood will re-sign with the #Jets for $45M with $30M fully guaranteed, per sources. pic.twitter.com/ilqKUohLzO

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 9, 2025

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Jets Dole out Big Money to One of Their Very Own

Sherwood, 25, is now making $15 million per season on his new deal. That annual salary places him inside the top-five highest paid linebackers in the NFL, per Over The Cap.

The former Auburn product got his first chance to be a full-time starter this past season when team captain C.J. Mosley went down due to injury.

Sherwood made the most of his opportunity.

He appeared in all 17 games and made 16 starts. During that run, Sherwood totaled 158 tackles, 98 of which were of the solo variety, two sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and three pass deflections.

This long term deal ensures that the Jets have at least one building block at the linebacker position for the foreseeable future.

Quincy Williams only has one year left on his contract through 2025. Mosley could retire or be released this offseason.

Jets Read the Room at Linebacker and Decided to Retain Their Own

The theme ahead of free agency among teams was to keep their own talent.

Over the last several days, teams across the league have locked down their own players set to hit the open market. That includes several at the linebacker position.

The Jets simply copy-and-pasted what the Kansas City Chiefs gave linebacker Nick Bolton.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport shared on social media on Sunday, March 9 that the Chiefs kept Bolton out of free agency. He signed the same exact deal that Sherwood did, three years for $45 million with $30 million of that guaranteed.

The #Chiefs are keeping their star LB home: Sources say playmaker Nick Bolton and KC are in agreement on a deal to keep him with the team that drafted him.

He gets a 3-year, $45M deal with $30M fully guaranteed in a deal done by Tommy Condon of CAA. pic.twitter.com/49Xw6EdHJR

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2025

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Sherwood can now be the centerpiece of the Jets’ new era on the defensive side of the ball. Aaron Glenn, while known for his defensive prowess, will not be calling the plays this season. Instead he handed those responsibilities off to defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

NBC analyst and former quarterback Chris Simms doesn’t like that fun fact.

He told Jets senior reporter Eric Allen at the NFL Combine that it “doesn’t make sense” that Glenn won’t be calling the plays for the Jets defense this season.

Simms explained that the reason Glenn got the job with the Jets is because of his fantastic ability to call defense. “That’s why he got the [NYJ HC] job,” Simms explained.

Aaron Glenn won’t be calling defensive plays for the #Jets. @CSimmsQB told @eallenjets that he doesn’t love that, ‘that doesn’t make sense.’😳

‘He got there because he was calling plays on the [#Lions] defense. That’s why he got the [NYJ HC] job. I’m a little bit of a believer… pic.twitter.com/m3MKUJ6QHO

— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) March 8, 2025

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