2022 NFL Free Agency: Jacob Martin Signs with the New York Jets

The summer of 2019. Where Houston fired Brian Gaine, failed to hire Nick Caserio, forced Bill O’Brien to be the general manager, traded Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks after deciding not to extend him after offering the franchise tag, and traded for Laremy Tunsil. This set the stage for 2020’s fallout, after a season that ended in blowing a 24 point lead in Kansas City.

Houston traded Jadeveon Clowney for Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo, and a third round pick. Clowney would go onto carry Seattle’s front seven, dominating without the numbers, with a season that ended with a postseason loss to Green Bay. Houston turned the third round pick into Gareon Conley. Martin consistently picked up a couple of sacks a season, limited by being a terrible run defender, and having only one pass rush move that worked, a chop rip. Conley started at outside cornerback, was beat often, but saved the day with heroic pass defensed. An ankle surgery gone wrong. He hasn’t played football since. And Mingo blocked a punt against Kansas City in the 2019 Divisional Round, proving the Clowney trade was worth it all along, until that fell apart, and he went on to play special teams at other places ever since.

Today the last remnant of the Clowney trade has left Houston. Jacob Martin signed a three-year deal worth up to $16.5 million with the New York Jets, that includes $6.5 million guaranteed.

The world has lied to you. Watch the film. Martin isn’t very good. He’s been picked on along the edge in the run game for two years. He’s the Chris Davis of pass rushers. He strikes out 95% of the time, but on enough rare occasions, he’ll barrel the ball and chop rip the hell out of an offensive tackle. He was out of place in Houston’s 4-3 defense, and will still probably be out of place in New York’s 4-3 defense. The contract is misleading. It’s only $6.5 million guaranteed—meaning if Martin doesn’t produce he’s an easy cut for the Jets.

The sentimentality was cute, the production wasn’t. Martin’s time in Houston comes to an end.