EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 23: Henry Anderson #96 of the New York Jets looks on against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on December 23, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
After Henry Anderson’s breakout 2018 season, the Jets chose to bring back the productive rotational pass-rusher.
While the Jets’ decision to sign controversial running back Le’Veon Bell to a four-year deal will certainly get all the buzz, New York made a key decision on the other side of the ball when they re-signed defensive end Henry Anderson.
The Jets’ defense was middle-of-the-pack last year, and it’s obvious that they set out to improve the unit in the offseason. They agreed sign four-time Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley to a five-year, $85 million contract Tuesday morning, a move that will go a long way in stabilizing the defense. Mosley isn’t much of a pass-rusher from the linebacker position, but he’s phenomenal in pass coverage and as a tackler in the open field.
New York also hired Gregg Williams to take over as defensive coordinator. Williams has helped to turn around bad defenses as coordinator in the past, most recently doing so in Cleveland with the Browns. Williams is known for his aggressiveness when it comes to play-calling, as his defenses are always near the top of the league in blitz rate. His style goes hand-in-hand with the signing of Anderson, whose pass-rushing prowess shone in 2018.
Contract Details
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Jets re-signed Anderson agreed to a three-year, $25.2 million dollar deal. Anderson gets $17 million in guarantees, according to Rich Cimini. The deal has a max value of $33 million.
National Reaction
The Jets get a C+ for the move, simply because of the fact that we don’t know for sure what Anderson is yet. Last year was his first year in New York after three in Indianapolis, and it was also his first time playing 16 games. Anderson has an injury history from his time with the Colts, when he played nine, 11 and nine games in his three years there. Anderson remains a rotational piece with the Jets, and an $8.4 million average annual value is a steep price to pay for a guy who played just 60 percent of defensive snaps last season.
But, if his snap count does increase and he does stay healthy, the deal can eventually get a bump up to a B. Anderson did lead the Jets with seven sacks last season while playing such a limited role. He’s flashed explosive potential and will be a seamless fit in Gregg Williams’ blitz-heavy scheme.