Jamien Sherwoods unexpected breakout leaving Jets with difficult offseason decision

Jamien Sherwood represents a rare exception on the Jets roster.The type of exception that would be beneficial to retain on the team, not lose to another.On a squad filled with underachievers, Sherwood, a former fifth-round pick, has developed beyond most expectations as an overachiever and into a valuable starter in the middle of the Jets defense despite his low draft stature.And on Friday, he was voted by his teammates as this year’s team MVP.“For me, it was just about showing everyone that I could do it,” Sherwood said after practice Friday.

“A lot of people think I am undersized or just didn’t think I was the right fit for the job.I went out there every week, showed it to the best of my ability, and ultimately, it looks bright for me going forward.”Yes, that someone as unheralded as Sherwood was the best option for team MVP can be viewed as an indictment of the Jets’ supposed stars — like Aaron Rodgers, Garrett Williams, Breece Hall, Davante Adams, Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner — and how poorly they’ve performed this year.

Surely, most would have preferred one of those previous names to be a worthy recipient, and that none was is a troubling sign of just how badly they fell below expectations.But that shouldn’t discredit Sherwood’s breakout season.Entering the year as a backup, Sherwood quickly took over as a starter at inside linebacker due to C.J.

Mosley’s injury and capitalized on his opportunity.Sherwood, who played safety in college but has converted to a linebacker with the Jets, has started 15 games this year and has recorded an NFL-high 95 solo tackles.He has 152 total tackles — third-most in the league — and 10 tackles for loss.

Pro Football Focus gives him a 74.5 overall grade, tied for 13th-best among all linebackers in the league.He had not recorded more than 28 solo tackles, 46 total tackles or three tackles for loss in any of his previous three seasons.It’s now provided the Jets with a tough decision, though...