New York Jets: Player evaluations on defensive line
Steve McLendon
FINAL STATS: 46 COMBINED TACKLES, 30 SOLO, 1.5 SACKS
It was the offseason following the 2015 season. Damon Harrison had come off of yet another big year, showing how a small college kid could turn into a dominant player. The trouble was, the Jets wouldn’t pay him what he was worth. He tried his hand at free agency and it worked out without him even having to move. We all know why, he signed with the New York Giants, so all he had to change was locker rooms.
So who is going to fill the middle of the line? The answer is Steve McLendon, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Has he been “Snacks”? No. There aren’t a lot of guys in the league as good as Harrison at this point. But for the past two seasons, McLendon has been solid in the middle of the Jets defensive line. His 46 combined tackles were a career high for him. With 1.5 sacks he was also disruptive in the passing game.
A lot of what the interior linemen do does not show up in the box score. They take on double teams so the guys on the outside can make plays. So, we turn to Pro Football Focus for some grades to bring McLendon into focus. Against the run he was particularly stellar, posting a grade of 86.1 to lead the team. Was it a great season? No. It’s hard to give anyone along this line a very high grade. But as grades go, at least among the starters, McLendon grades out the best for me.