The Houston Texans bolstered their linebacking corps in free agency with the addition of former New York Jets linebacker Jordan Jenkins.
Adam Gase, who was the coach of the Jets from 2019-20, was complimentary of the former 2016 third-round pick late in New York’s 2-14 campaign.
“That guy is old-school,’’ Gase said on Dec. 5, 2020, via Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “You’re going to have to saw off a limb for him not to be out there. It’s how he grew up. It’s how he was raised. If you know his background, it’s who he is. When you dig into his background, it all makes sense why he is who he is.”
According to Gase via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Jenkins popped his shoulder back into place during a game early in the 2020 season, and only missed a play in the process.
Said Gase: “I’m not sure I’ve been around many players that are tougher — just flat-out tougher — than him. You saw the guy earlier in the season with his shoulder out of place and he pops it back in, comes off for like a play and runs back out there. The guy is an absolute beast as far as his mindset of not wanting to come out of games, constantly just being that guy to rely on.”
Jenkins provided the Jets with 189 combined tackles, 22.5 sacks, 25 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and eight pass breakups in 72 games, 62 of which he started.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio got a good look at Jenkins twice a season as the Jets were division rivals with the New England Patriots, the franchise where Caserio had been employed in various capacities since 2001. The 6-3, 259-pound linebacker is part of Caserio’s “singles and doubles” strategy to get Houston around the bases competitively in 2021.