Jermaine Johnson Reportedly Traded to Titans from Jets, Updated Rosters and Salary Caps

The New York Jets tore down their defensive core at the trade deadline last season, and they've reportedly gotten rid of another homegrown talent.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Jets have agreed to trade defensive end Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

Following the trade, the Jets' defensive line rotation will look like this:

• DT: T'Vondre Sweat, Harrison Phillips, Jowon Briggs, Jay Tufele, Khalen Saunders, Mazi Smith
• DE: Will McDonald IV, Micheal Clemons, Braiden McGregor, Eric Watts, Tyler Baron

Meanwhile, the updated Titans defensive line depth chart is as follows:

• DT: Cam Horsley, Timmy Horne
• DE: Jeffrey Simmons, Jermaine Johnson, Sebastian Joseph-Day, C.J. Ravenell, James Lynch

The Jets will be swapping Johnson's $13.4 million salary cap hit in 2026 for Sweat's $2.2 million cap hit, adding further to their $76.9 million in cap space. The Titans were also in good salary cap health with $92.6 million in cap space, allowing them to take on Johnson's contract without hesitation.

The Jets drafted Johnson with the 26th overall pick in the 2022 draft, making him one of the cornerstones in a draft class that also included cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall. Johnson was selected to the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2023, but a torn Achilles tendon the following year delayed his ascent. He had a down year in 2025 amid New York's disastrous 3-14 campaign.

At the trade deadline in November, the Jets shipped Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a haul of draft assets that gave them a total of five first-round picks over the next two years. ESPN's Rich Cimini noted that Johnson was also "dangled" at the trade deadline before New York chose to hold onto him through the end of the season.

It took a few months, but the Jets appear to have had a change of heart regarding Johnson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The deal reunites him with new Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who led his development with the Jets at the beginning of his career.

The Jets own the No. 2 and No. 16 picks in this year's draft and are now expected to target an edge rusher. Ohio State's Arvell Reese, Texas Tech's David Bailey and Miami's Rueben Bain Jr., who are among the top defensive players in B/R's draft big board, will all be options for New York in the first round.

Sweat, a 2024 second-round pick, is signed through 2027. Across two seasons, he has appeared in 29 games and produced 85 total tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is taking over the defensive play-calling this season, so he will certainly be motivated to bring the best out of Sweat and the rest of New York's revamped unit.