B.J. Goodson is returning to New York. The veteran linebacker agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Jets on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
This contract will be worth up to $2.1MM and bring the former Giants fourth-round pick and multiyear starter back to the Big Apple. Goodson worked out for the Jets on Tuesday. Interestingly, the Jets also auditioned former big-ticket free agency addition Avery Williamson, whom they traded to the Steelers at last year’s deadline.
Goodson, 28, has 43 career starts; 14 of those came for the Browns last season. The former Giants and Packers cog established a key role in Cleveland, with which he made a career-high 91 tackles and intercepted two passes to help snap a 17-season playoff drought. Pro Football Focus graded Goodson as an upper-echelon coverage linebacker in 2020. The Titans met with Goodson in April. Otherwise, he enjoyed a quiet free agency stay.
The Jets are down Jarrad Davis with an injury that required an IR stay, and C.J. Mosley has rarely seen the field during his two-plus-year Jets tenure. While Mosley returned to action to start this season, Jet linebackers Jamien Sherwood and Blake Cashman are dealing with injuries.
Williamson, 29, was not connected to a team in the offseason. The previous Jets regime signed the ex-Titan standout to a three-year, $22.5MM deal in 2018. Williamson, however, missed all of 2019 due to injury and finished last season in Pittsburgh. He started four games with the Steelers, who were then without Devin Bush. Williamson led the 2018 Jets with 120 tackles, contributing three sacks as well.
I had forgotten about Goodson and I’m a little surprised he was still out there. Williamson was decent in a tough situation last year in Pittsburgh, but he hasn’t been the same since he hurt his knee a few years ago.
Does Williamson not have anything left? I didn’t see him play last year. His lack of FA interest would obviously suggest he didn’t look good. That’s too bad. He has a great personality and was a really good Jet.