The Jets have signed defensive tackle Jay Tufele.
Tufele (6-3, 305) played 13 games (3 starts) last season for the Bengals and totaled 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks and 2 QB hits. The Salt Lake City, UT native played in 30 games and started 5 during his three seasons with Cincinnati and had 42 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 4 QB hits, 0.5 sacks and 1 pass defense.
Tufele was drafted by the Jaguars in the fourth round out of USC in 2021 and played one season with Jacksonville where he appeared in 4 games. He played two seasons for the Trojans before he opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL Draft. He was named first-team All-Pac 12 in 2019 and had 42 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Tufele won USC's Defensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2018 and '19.
He is the second defensive tackle Jets general manager Darren Mougey added in free agency, joining Byron Cowart, who played for the Bears last season.
