TRADE: Jets & Titans Complete Surprising Trade

February 26, 2026 ,
New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson & defensive end Will McDonald IV celebrate during 2025 game.

The New York Jets and Tennessee Titans wasted no time shaking up the 2026 offseason, agreeing to a rare player-for-player trade that sends pass rusher Jermaine Johnson to Tennessee in exchange for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat. 

The deal will become official when the new league year begins on March 11.

Titans Reunite Jermaine Johnson With Robert Saleh

The move reunites Johnson with head coach Robert Saleh, who originally drafted him in the first round (No. 26 overall) in 2022. 

The 27-year-old edge rusher made the Pro Bowl in 2023 after posting a career-best 7.5 sacks and has totaled 13 sacks, 27 quarterback hits, 20 tackles for loss and 131 tackles in 47 career games.

Johnson is entering the 2026 season on his fully guaranteed fifth-year option and is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027. 

For the Titans, the trade adds an experienced edge defender who fits Saleh’s aggressive front and gives Tennessee a proven pass-rush presence as the new coaching staff reshapes the defense.

Jets Add Size, Scheme Fit With T’Vondre Sweat

From New York’s perspective, the move is a clear shift in their defensive philosophy. The Jets are expected to incorporate more 3-4 principles, creating a need for a true nose tackle. Sweat, listed at 6-foot-4 and 366 pounds, fills that role immediately as a space-eating interior anchor.

The 24-year-old former second-round pick (2024) recorded 34 tackles and two sacks in 12 games last season and graded among the league’s top interior run defenders. 

He also has two years remaining on his rookie contract, giving the Jets longer-term cost control as they attempt to fix a run defense that allowed 139.5 rushing yards per game in 2025, the fourth-most in the NFL.

Johnson becomes the third former first-round defensive cornerstone moved in recent months, following the departures of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. 

Photo Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

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