New York Jets: Player evaluations on defensive line
Kony Ealy
FINAL STATS: 14 COMBINED TACKLES, 11 SOLO, ONE SACK, ONE INTERCEPTION, NINE PASSES DEFENDED
This young man was an interesting windfall for the Jets. We know about the eternal search for an edge rusher. It has not gone on as long as the quarterback search but it feels like it. When Kony Ealy came on the market, the Jets had to jump. He had posted 14 sacks over his first three seasons in the league. Maybe the Jets could catch lightning in a bottle and spark the defensive line.
There was another reason this deal came to make a lot of sense. Ealy may only have stats with the Panthers, but he came from another camp in 2017. That camp belonged to our old friends from New England. That’s right, for those who don’t remember, Ealy was released by the Patriots before joining the Jets. Belichick couldn’t find a way to fit Ealy into their system. So, stealing one from the Patriots is always an added bonus.
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Ealy performed quite effectively within the reps he received. He was a regular shot blocker, deflecting nine passes out of the air. If you can’t get to the quarterback, knock it down. Ealy followed that rule perfectly. 11 out of 14 tackles being solo showed that he could stick it to a ball carrier whenever necessary. He’s another guy that would be a worthy re-sign to be part of the rotation.