As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game. I also am not including Ryan Fitzpatrick on the list because he is not technically a Jet at this time.
No. 20: Erin Henderson
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
Position: Inside linebacker
Age: 29
How acquired: Signed as a free agent on April 8, 2015
Years left on contract: 2
2016 Salary Cap figure: $1.25 million
Looking back at 2015: Henderson was one of the best stories on the Jets last season. The team picked him up off the scrap heap and his role grew and grew. He was out of football in 2014 after the Vikings released him following two DUI arrests.
The Jets did not know what to expect from Henderson last year, but were pleasantly surprised. He came in willing to play special teams and showed he really wanted to be there. Eventually he played more and more at inside linebacker. For the final month of the season he rotated series with starter Demario Davis. He finished the year with 45 tackles and one forced fumble.
Outlook for 2016: The Jets were so happy with Henderson they signed him to a two-year contract this offseason and he replaced Davis, now in Cleveland, as the starter next to David Harris.
The main question for Henderson this season is how long he can hold off first-round pick Darron Lee. The Jets’ plan is for Lee to play in sub packages to start, but you don’t draft someone in the first round just to play in sub packages. Eventually, Lee is going to cut into Henderson’s playing time, but that may not happen until 2017 if Henderson plays well enough.
Henderson looks noticeably more comfortable this spring. He was loud on the practice field, talking smack with wide receiver Brandon Marshall constantly.
“I think he’s feeling more comfortable and he likes to get everybody going,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “Erin’s always been a talker behind the scenes. But lately he’s become more of a, shall I say, vocal leader in that regard and it’s all in fun with him. If you know him, it’s all in fun. He gets the guys going and he likes to cause little stir-ups out there every now and then. But it was good camaraderie.”