Falcons Free Agency: 5 Players New DC Jeff Ulbrich Could Sign from Jets

The Atlanta Falcons filled one major void on their defense Saturday evening by hiring defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich -- but several other holes remain.

Despite a late surge, Atlanta's pass rush still ranked second-to-last in the league with 31 sacks. At linebacker, the Falcons need to add more athleticism and coverage skills next to Kaden Elliss.

Three starting defensive backs -- safety Justin Simmons and cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Dee Alford -- will enter free agency this spring, though Alford is a restricted free agent.

Still, the Falcons feel they have a handful of foundational pieces on defense, headlined by Elliss, safety Jessie Bates III, cornerback A.J. Terrell and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Terrell and Jarrett played under Ulbrich in 2020 during his 11-game stint as interim defensive coordinator under now-head coach Raheem Morris. After free agency, they may not be the only ones with past ties to Ulbrich.

Here's a look at five of the Jets' defensive free agents who may follow Ulbrich from New York to Atlanta this offseason.

CB D.J. Reed

A starter in all 14 games played in 2024, Reed collected 64 tackles and a team-high 11 passes defended. He started each of his 46 appearances for Ulbrich the past three years, and Ulbrich noted his fondness for Reed in December.

"I love DJ to death," Ulbrich said. "He's a guy that stands for everything that we believe in here, the way he plays, style of play is competitive, tough, scrappy."

Despite his lack of size, the 5'9", 188-pound Reed played outside corner for Ulbrich and the Jets, and he could be a plausible solution opposite Terrell.

DT Javon Kinlaw

Ulbrich said last summer that Atlanta, with Morris as defensive coordinator, was high on Kinlaw in the 2020 NFL Draft and planned on taking him at No. 16 overall before the San Francisco 49ers selected the University of South Carolina standout at No. 14.

Unsurprisingly, Ulbrich and the Jets signed Kinlaw last spring after four years with the 49ers. Ulbrich said he felt Kinlaw still had his best ball ahead of him, citing his 6'5'', 319-pound frame, explosiveness, violence and athleticism.

Kinlaw, 27, started all 17 games in 2024, collecting 40 tackles, 4.5 sacks and five tackles for loss.

LB Jamien Sherwood

In 2024, Sherwood played in all 17 games with 16 starts and was on the field for 93% of defensive snaps. He tallied 158 tackles, including an NFL-high 98 solo tackles, along with 10 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Sherwood entered the season as a backup to C.J. Mosley, who missed all but four games due to toe and neck injuries. Given an opportunity for extended action, Sherwood, a converted safety, impressed Ulbrich with his athleticism, character and combination of size and length at 6'2'', 216 pounds with 34-inch arm.

"You'd be hard-pressed to find a harder worker not only in this building, any building in the NFL," Ulbrich said. "I'm just so excited for the future now for him, because it's really planted seeds across the league as a guy everybody's going to want on their team, and he's going to get rewarded for it. He deserves every penny he's going to get."

CB Isaiah Oliver

Drafted by Atlanta in the second round in 2018, Oliver should be a familiar face to Falcons fans. He was with the organization through 2022 and developed a strong relationship with Ulbrich during their three years together.

Reunited with Ulbrich in New York, Oliver played in all 17 games with seven starts this season. He played 50% of the defensive snaps and made 57 tackles and a pair of tackles for loss. After signing with the Jets last spring, Oliver spoke highly of Ulbrich.

"Coach Brick, one of the better coaches in the NFL in my opinion," Oliver said.

S Ashtyn Davis

The Jets re-signed Davis last spring, and the 28-year-old played in 15 games with one start this season. He appeared in only 26% of defensive snaps but tied for the team lead with two interceptions.