This signing is underrated and very important for the New York Jets . . .
The Jets signing of defensive tackle Solomon Thomas is a key move for them.
Yes, barring injury, he could be a reserve defensive tackle, behind Quinnen Williams and Sheldon Rankins.
But here is the deal: The Jets rotate their defensive linemen a ton, perhaps more than many other teams, because their system calls for guys to pursue the ball sideline-to-sideline. Some systems call for their defensive linemen to stay at home more.
So the big guys in this scheme need more breathers, and sometimes last year, when the starters came out, there was a precipitous dropoff to the second team. The Jets can’t allow that to be the case this year, so getting Thomas in the fold will help.
We are talking about the third pick overall of the 2017 draft, so clearly there is quite a bit of talent here.
While he is only 6-2, 280, that really isn’t much smaller than Williams and Rankins. This defense calls for smaller, quicker defensive tackles to shoot gaps and get up the field quickly.
“I like a lot of things about this defense,’ Thomas said. “First of all, it’s an attack front, getting off the ball. I’m an undersized inside player but this is where I can thrive, I can use my athleticism, I can be quick, I can be explosive. Those are my strengths.”
So this is an important signing for Gang Green, because you can’t think of the backup defensive tackles as true backups, because they play so darn much.
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