Quincy Williams is a free agent, and Jamien Sherwood is coming off his worst year as a professional. In the span of a single season, the New York Jets’ needs at linebacker have grown at an alarming rate.

So much so that many analysts and fans have mocked what free agency could look like if Gang Green focuses on the position. Many have even factored Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone into the Jets’ equation, given his prior experience with head coach Aaron Glenn.

Anzalone is an obvious answer for New York. He’s a blitzing linebacker who understands the importance of offering different looks to opposing quarterbacks. The downside is that the former third-round pick will be 32 years old when the 2026 season begins.

While Anzalone has been as dependable as they come for his role, there’s a younger linebacker on the open market that will be available for a higher price, but will fill the same role better if New York is willing to tweak things a bit.

It’s a plan that features an even better winning pedigree than anyone involved.

Jets’ linebacker questions

The New York Jets will need linebackers who can play in coverage, stop the run, and rush the quarterback when pressure is called. Those expectations are hard to come by in the modern NFL.

One linebacker on the open market has experience with all three.

Former Georgia Bulldog leader and Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl champion Nakobe Dean fits the bill.

Had it not been for a knee injury suffered leading into the draft, Dean would have been a first-round pick in 2022. He was a central part of Georgia winning the National Championship and an even bigger part of the Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX.

As it turns out, the 2025 season saw Dean finish with tremendous blitz grades at his position across multiple metrics.

It’s precisely the kind of skill set the Jets will need out of a player like him.

Sherwood’s athleticism, coupled with Dean’s mind and speed, would be an intriguing combination for a Jets defense that will likely look and play differently than last season. In 2025, New York’s defense ranked among the worst in the NFL.

Nakobe Dean breakdown

In many ways, a free agent signing of Dean for the Jets would be similar to the acquisition of C.J. Mosley. The former Baltimore Ravens linebacker was 27 years old when he signed his first deal with Gang Green. He was also a four-time Pro Bowl player.

Dean doesn’t have the kind of accolades Mosley once had. While he has a long injury history that makes him a bit more of a risk, there’s a key difference between what Mosley and Dean have done over their careers.

Not only was Dean a National Champion, but he was an integral part of the championship Eagles. Although he suffered an Achilles injury that cost him the most recent postseason, Philadelphia would not have won the NFC East without him.

Last season, the veteran had his best season. Dean set career highs in fumbles forced and sacks. He’s someone who plays around the ball and has good instincts to get after the quarterback.

He accomplished this while being two years younger than Mosley was when he originally signed with the Jets.

Dean is the kind of player who can help change the mindset of New York’s defense — a “culture” player the organization has been trying to find. Additionally, Anzalone would make sense as a signing due to his experience with Glenn.

At the end of the day, however, Glenn needs winners in 2026. Over his career, no one has really fit that mark more than Dean.