Quinton Jefferson agrees to deal with Browns, source says

The Cleveland Browns have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former New York Jets defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson, a source told ESPN's Jake Trotter.

Jefferson, 30, enjoyed one of his most productive seasons in 2023. After being released by the Seattle Seahawks (his second stint with the team), he signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Jets and wound up playing 14 games -- all starts.

Jefferson recorded a career-high six sacks and had 34 tackles before his season ended prematurely in December, when he suffered tears to both sides of his groin, each tear requiring surgery. At the end of the season, he expressed optimism about his chances of returning for OTAs in the spring.

Jefferson played only 469 defensive snaps, his lowest total since 2017 with Seattle, but that can be attributed to the Jets' deep defensive line. Typically, they rotated eight or nine players on game day.

There was one alarming trend with Jefferson: Despite his sack production, the Jets allowed a 108.4 passer rating when he was on the field, compared to a 55.6 mark when he wasn't in the game, according to Next Gen Stats. That's by far the biggest discrepancy among the team's defensive linemen.

Jefferson, a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2015, also has played for the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders. He has played 103 games with 26.5 sacks.

ESPN's Rich Cimini contributed to this report.