Why New York Jets LB Jamien Sherwood was called a 'rare' find

Following his breakout 2024 season, New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood is being called a "rare" find.

Replacing CJ Mosley for nearly all of last season, Sherwood was a tackling machine. The fourth-year pro saw his first run as a starter on defense.

He notched two sacks, three passes defended and was among football's leading tacklers with 158 including 10 for loss. Pro Football Focus graded Sherwood as the 18th best linebacker in the entire NFL.

For an additional reason beside his stats and play on the field, FOX Sports has added to the praise of Sherwood.

It comes down to essentially one word: Age.

The outlet named Sherwood as the 36th best pending free agent in the league. In the breakdown of Sherwood, it's noted that there could be interest in Sherwood from other teams around the NFL because of his skill and "ascending" talent since he's still young at 25-year-old.

The free agent market opens next week on March 10.

FOX Sports' full breakdown on Sherwood can be found below:

Of a ton of inside linebackers in this free-agent class, the 25-year-old Sherwood is a rare one still ascending, coming off a breakout year in his first season as a full-time starter. He led the NFL with 98 solo tackles, finished with 158 total and 10 tackles for loss. Would new head coach Aaron Glenn let a young star get away in free agency? If he does, new Atlanta DC Jeff Ulbrich might be interested. Will Sherwood get mid-range linebacker money at $7-8 million a year or draw a bigger deal on the open market?