New York Jets and the Curious Case of Demario Davis
The New York Jets have an interesting decision upcoming regarding Demario Davis. He is talented but has fallen short of his expectations. Should the team bring Davis back or let him walk via free agency?
Free agency is just under one month away. Teams are preparing now, deciding which players to keep, and which players they will let test the market. The New York Jets are no different, and one player they have a big decision to make about is linebacker Demario Davis.
Related Story: 2016 NFL Mock Draft: Where do the Jets Go?
Davis is a player that causes great debate within the Jets’ fan base, almost divided 50/50 on whether or not he should stay or go.
Davis came to New York as a third-round draft pick in the 2012 draft, and from the start, he was groomed to fill the Bart Scott role in the center of the Jets’ defense. Four years ago (as documented on NFL.com), the team had high hopes for Davis as then-head coach Rex Ryan compared the young rookie to Ray Lewis, pretty lofty expectations for any player.
To his credit, when he took over as the starter in 2013 after Bart’s departure, he proved to be a quality tackler. In 2013, he posted 107 tackles, and followed up that campaign with 116 tackles. Davis dropped off a bit in 2015 to 89 tackles, but with that, still hasn’t missed a game since taking over in 2013.
Davis has learned from David Harris, and Scott before him.
Photo courtesy of NFL Gamepass
The problems have come when Davis has had to cover running backs and tight ends in the passing game. He was lost. Above is an example for a game against the Houston Texans last season. Davis got turned the wrong way, missed his assignment, resulting in a 21-yard touchdown pass to Alfred Blue.
This was just one example of many, as another big example occurred against the Buffalo Bills, again resulting in a touchdown. Davis simply has had a rough time in pass coverage, and he hasn’t gotten any better. His play dropped so much that he saw a drop in playing time, from 71 snaps early in the year, to bottoming out with 16 snaps in Week 17 against the Bills.
It is a clear indication of the staff’s opinion of Davis’ play. The Jets had one game to win and earn a playoff berth, yet their starting linebacker, one to become the starter when David Harris leaves, only was on the field for 16 defensive snaps. This regime (general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles) did not draft Davis, and only show allegiance to the best players on the field.
So how should the team handle Davis? Should he be signed, or allowed to walk when free agency opens on March 9th?
They could just as easily bring back Erin Henderson, the linebacker signed last season who became the recipient of many of Davis’ snaps. He fared better against the pass, and with a smaller body of work, could be had for less money than they will likely need to spend on Demario.
More nfl spin zone: Who are the Top Quarterbacks in Jets History?
Some of the NFL.com experts are predicting that the Jets will select Reggie Ragland in the draft this spring, and that he would excel taking over for Davis. With 93 and 102 tackles over his final two seasons at Alabama, Ragland could be the player that comes in and dominates from the inside position, and less of a cost than Davis.
It’s a tough decision, but it is time to move on from Demario Davis. He hasn’t come far enough along in four years to warrant a continued investment. Time to look elsewhere.