As we head into the head into the 2nd full week of NY Jets training camp and the players don the helmets and pads, it is fair to say that the optimism for the upcoming 2022 season is at an all-time high for Jets fans. Joe Douglas, in all his glory has put together a team chock full of talent on both sides of the ball.
Through shrewd free agent negotiations and acquisitions and an absolute home run 2022 draft class, the arrow is pointing up for the 2022 season.
This is going to be the first year in a long time that when final cutdown day is upon us, the NY Jets are going to release some roster-worthy players. That, in itself is a very good thing.
It shows that the complete breakdown and re-development of our roster is in full effect. The Jets have added a much needed influx of talent to a roster that was devoid of it for so many years.
Now, it is unrealistic and damn near impossible to field a team with All-Pro caliber talent at every position. Moreover, Rome was not built in a day, either – that we know.
There are still some holes that need to be plugged and some positions that can do with an upgrade, or at least a spit-shine. The hole at LB was recently addressed with the addition of Kwon Alexander and the waiver-wire pick up of the year last September in Quincy Williams.
So, Jets fans, what is left?
I think if you take a healthy assessment of the overall roster and try to predict your final 53, there is one spot that you can still see some light peeking through a little crack in the foundation and that would be at the backup offensive tackle, otherwise known as the “swing tackle”. The swing tackle is ideally the third tackle in pecking order on the roster, ideally a player who can step in and play either LT or RT in a pinch.
Why is a backup tackle so important when we have Becton and Fant in our starting five? The easy (and somewhat sarcastic) answer is that we have Becton and Fant in our starting five. Listen, as confident as we all may be in these two tackles being remarkable players in ’22, they both come carrying a little bit of injury history and risk.
And wouldn’t you know it – here we are on the first day of week two and Becton goes down with an injury to his surgically repaired right knee. Hold your breath and say a prayer that this does not wreak havoc into our ’22 plans. The importance of a viable plug-and-play tackle just increased ten-fold.
We reaped the benefit of having a strong swing tackle in place last season in Morgan Moses. He stepped in admirably when Becton went down after only 48 snaps last year.
Although the end result of the Jets season was still less than what we hoped for as Jets fans, it surely wasn’t because of Morgan Moses. The transition went about as smoothly as one could have hoped for with Moses grading out as PFF’s 40th best OT last season (out of 92 qualified players).
Let’s take a look at the snap count for Jets OT’s last season:
| Player | Snap Count played |
| Morgan Moses | 1,022 |
| George Fant | 889 |
| Connor McDermott | 135 |
| Chuma Edoga | 100 |
| Mekhi Becton | 48 |
After the early season-ending injury to Becton, the Jets got very lucky. There were only two games (week 11 and week 15) in which Moses, Fant or both did not play 100% of the offensive snaps. Very ironman-esque and, also very much an anomaly.
In fact, if you look at the entire AFC, only 5 of the 16 teams – NYJ, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, San Diego and Las Vegas had a tackle duo that played 80% or more of their teams’ respective offensive snaps. This fact hammers home the narrative that depth at OT – a crucial position – is clearly of paramount importance.
Looking at the Jets current roster outside of Fant and Becton (who are the presumed starters), we lack that “Morgan Moses presence”. That presence is vital to support the growth of our 2nd year stud quarterback in the making, Zach Wilson. The player who can come in and protect the edge so the upgraded offensive can go off without a hitch.
Now, the big to-do that happened over this past weekend was the rumblings that Joe Douglas brought in Duane Brown for a visit and a workout. He was on the sideline getting pitched by all the current players and coaches during the Green & White scrimmage. Rumor has it he passed his physical this weekend as well.
Is Brown the guy we need – especially with the transgressions that occurred today with Becton? On the surface, it’s easy to scream HELL YES!
Brown, an All-Pro last season is that large, strong presence that would most likely upgrade any NFL offensive line unit depth chart. With a potential Mekhi Becton injury looming, I understand the want and moreover the need for a veteran like Duane Brown.
Brown has been a mainstay at left tackle in the league now for quite a few years with four trips to the Pro-Bowl on his resume. He’s been known to be a better pass protector than run blocker throughout the years. A converted tight end, Brown has learned how to combine his large, long frame, athletic ability, and mobility to his advantage.
But I got to ask – is it the right move? Yes, Brown may be the best available FA on the market right now, but does that make him a fit?
We need to remember, for one Duane Brown is now 37 years old. Yes, he was a pro-bowler last season but that in itself was kind of questionable. How many players bowed out of the game prior to Brown?
Brown gave up eight sacks and 33 pressures in 2021. For a reference point, he gave up seven sacks the previous four seasons (2017-2021). At this stage of his career, he struggles with speed from the edge – the part of his game which used to be his forte.
In 2021, he did not drive with his legs well or win with his mobility on run sets and it seemed that getting to the second level was a chore. He was pedestrian at best, and some questioned his intensity level from rep to rep.
Secondly, Duane Brown is a LT. His skill set, especially at this stage of his career is not conducive to moving over and learning how to play on the right side.
Different footwork, different aim points with different angles. We already discussed that even in his best days, Brown was not a mauler in the run game.
Although a Brown signing adds depth to the OL, it doesn’t address the need we have for a flexible “swing-tackle” type player. What happens if we bring Brown in – who goes to RT? Do we forget all the arguments Jets Twitter has had about keeping Fant at LT?
We cannot disregard all the off-season banter about how much better George Fant played on the left side than on the right side.
Lastly, and most importantly – are the Jets and Duane Brown going to amicably agree to a contract? All the hoopla is just that without pen to paper.
If JD has a number on what he feels we should pay a backup tackle and it differs from the Brown camp, where are we? JD brought in Riley Rieff and let him leave because of the contract demands – will he change his train of thought now?
My hot take is that I am lukewarm at best on the idea that Duane brown is “the guy” to solve these problems. If not Brown, then who? First, let’s take a closer look at what the roster has currently and assess.
Chuma Edoga has a contract that lasts through this season. His play is well, underwhelming to say the least. The assumption is that if no roster moves are made Edoga, the 2019 3rd round pick from USC would man the tackle position if push came to shove.
Entering his 4th year with the team, Edoga has never really made a strong push for a starting role – even with the turnover we have seen at the position. That to me, is very telling.
There is also that touchdown-scoring machine more commonly known as Connor McDermott. He’s in the league since 2017 and now with his third team (all of which, have been in the AFC East).
McDermott, the journeyman tackle who moonlighted as a goal line/short-yardage tight end in some sets last season had a much better receiving grade (85.6) than run blocking grade (51.6). Do I need to say anymore? Constantly being beat rep after rep by our defensive ends this training camp, McDermott is not the answer.
Point blank. I find it very hard to see how he makes the final 53.
The Jets invested 4th round draft capital this past year on a tackle from Louisiana – Max Mitchell. Mitchell very well may be the answer to this swing tackle puzzle, but I don’t think it will be this year. Max Mitchell possesses the height/weight/speed that you like to see and the athletic prowess one would want in a wide-zone scheme offensive tackle – but he is very raw.
Coming from the Sun Belt conference, Mitchell needs more reps. Learning how to efficiently use his long arms to keep defensive linemen from engaging is key.
He may be the answer in ’23 or ’24, but I hesitate to say I feel comfortable with him protecting Zach right now, especially on his blind side.
Could the Jets consider moving young stud Alijah Vera-Tucker to the outside if injury fell upon them? I mean, yes – I guess – he did play OT in college. The question I pose is, why mess with a good thing?
AVT is one of the best up-and-coming interior OL in the league. A move like this would be “Old Jets” mentality – robbing Peter to pay Paul. History has shown this has not worked out very well for the Jets.
The stark reality is our offensive tackle depth needs some help. If the Jets are to take the necessary strides in the 2022 season, we cannot rest on our laurels and assume that our tackles will stay healthy.
Progression is too important to this team as a whole and the third tackle (if Mekhi ends up OK) is a player who statistically sees the field and plays a fair number of snaps throughout the season.
Think of it this way – all cars are manufactured with emergency brakes. Just in case the brakes wear down or fail, you have a fallback plan.
Fair statement, correct?
I’m sure that Ford or Chevrolet do not assume the brakes will fail, but just in case – boom, there is the E-brake to avoid tragedy. This team needs an E-brake – let’s take a look at some of the options out there that make sense for the 2022 Jets (not named Duane Brown).
Teven Jenkins, Chicago
The news has come fast and furious that for some reason, the Chicago Bears are willing to listen to offers for Teven Jenkins, the behemoth OT they just drafted last year in the 2nd round. What in the world could have happened that Chicago has softly put Jenkins on the block?
First and foremost, Chicago has recently overhauled – well, everything at the top. Gone are GM Ryan Pace and HC Matt Nagy. Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus now hold down GM and HC respectfully. New regimes sometimes cut bait with players that are not their guys.
Jets fans should know this sentiment very well. We recently heard the grumblings that Becton may go because he was not “the guy” for Salah/LaFleur.
A four-win season parlayed with a season long injury for Becton fanned the flames of this false narrative. A healthy, svelte and dominant number 77 could put all that noise to bed once and for all.
There is also the fact that Jenkins has yet to participate in off-season workouts with the team. His camp will tell you that he is still rehabbing a back injury that forced him to miss most of last season and the “Trade Jenkins” truthers will say that the new regime has already had enough of Jenkins maturity issues. Safe to assume that the honest answer probably lies somewhere in between.
The million-dollar question – is Jenkins a fit for the New York Jets? Stylistically, it is up for debate. The college film of Jenkins last season at Oklahoma State shows a dominant and physical specimen in the run game who may be best suited for a power/gap scheme.
His pro tape – what there is of it – shows an effective blocker who can get to the second level of the defense with ease for such a large man. This makes a zone blocking scheme something that could be in his wheelhouse.
Moreover, Jenkins best fit in the NFL may be at RT and RT only.
A powerful lower half results in a really efficient drive off the ball. His strong hands stop defenders in their tracks. Jenkins has struggled against the speedy, more bendy edge rushers, so protecting the blindside full time could be a risky proposition.
All that being said, Jenkins is still 23 years old and has that 2nd round draft pedigree. He was a dominant force in college when he was healthy. These are all facts.
Tie that together with a very affordable $1.9 million dollar price tag this coming season with minimal increase over the next two seasons to follow. All factors that make it very likely someone will push for Jenkins as a low-risk reclamation project.
The price tag for Jenkins will vary depending on who you ask. A mid-round pick – a third rounder or fourth rounder seems fair, but how about this as a proposal – what about Denzel Mims?
Now, before you spit out your drink – this would only be under the condition that Mims is NOT going to make the final 53. Like it or not, his spot on the Jets final roster is not yet secured.
To flip a player who doesn’t make the final roster (Mims) for a player that who is young, cheap, unproven, and oozing with untapped potential (Jenkins) is a smart business decision. Sometimes, you have to set aside your emotions and do what is best for the team as a whole. That’s why Jenkins to the Jets is so interesting to me.
Andre Dillard, Philadelphia
Dillard is entering his fourth year in the league after being drafted by Philly in the first round of the 2019 draft. Coming from Washington State, the 6’5’’ 320-pound tackle was thought to be the incumbent replacement to longtime Eagles OT Jason Peters. For reasons unbeknownst to me, he has fallen out of favor with the Eagles brass.
Watching Dillard a little more in depth, I see a 26-year-old player that checks a lot of the “plus” boxes and someone that will give a team multiple options how to use him both right away and in the future.
He has a long, strong frame. His fluid movement and contact-balance both at the point of attack or in space is excellent. He’s a grade A fit for our outside zone blocking scheme.
Now, Dillard has had bouts fighting back the injury bug and really took a while adjusting to NFL speed while bouncing between RT and LT. He’s had his opportunities and has not capitalized.
The Eagles are set at the starting tackle positions between Lane Johnson at RT and Jordan Mailata at LT. 2020 fourth round draft pick Jack Driscoll is well liked by the coaching staff and will have the leg up to be the first OT called to duty if needed.
Philly does not have to trade Andre Dillard – his cap hit is only $2.18 million this year and they declined his 5th year option. They can decide to keep him and let him walk after the season or just slow-play a trade with no real urgency and see if they can suck out a “Godfather” offer for him.
So, what would it take? I think the floor would be a fourth-round draft pick. There is also the possibility of a player-for-player swap. A player like Bryce Huff makes a lot of sense and matches up well schematically for the Eagles. He could be the young legs in the pash rush behind veterans like Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham
As much as the contingency of Jets fans love Huff, the stark reality is, due to the influx of DL the Jets have, Huff is on the roster bubble. Letting go of Huff to secure an upgrade at OT makes sense, even if it pulls at our heart strings.
I’m not saying a move like this is imminent, but it makes a lot of sense, maybe even more than the aforementioned Jenkins for Mims deal.
Brady Christensen, Carolina
Christensen is a name that a lot of people may not recognize. A 2021 3rd round pick, the 25-year-old spent 3 years protecting the blind side of our own Zach Wilson at BYU. 6’6’’ and 300 pounds, he has the build and length you want as a tackle.
He plays with vigor getting off the ball, getting out of his stance in a hurry. He consistently punches first and will hand-fight for positioning through the whistle. Engages his lower half well to produce good drive on run sets.
His athletic footwork shows the capability to move well and can get himself down the line in a hurry as a zone blocker. Gets across the defender’s face well, making him an ideal fit schematically.
Christiansen can reach his points in pass protection, but in college and in his short pro career to date, he is still a “work in progress” in regard to his pass protection. He tends to overset at times and lose his balance. He can be top heavy, which causes those aforementioned balance issues.
His biggest flaw to date is that he gets beat to the inside shoulder too often. This has already had the Carolina staff thinking about moving him inside to guard. Getting more reps and getting stronger will allow Christensen to play with more confidence, thus alleviating some of these “young player” problems.
You may ask, why would Carolina be willing to part with a player they just invested 3rd round capital in last year? For one, they just paid Taylor Moton big time money and also just drafted their LT of the future in the first round this past April – Ikem Ekwonu.
Parlay that with the fact that they are financially committed to at least one more year of Cam Erving as their swing tackle and have two very talented young guards on the roster as backups in Cade Mays and Dionte Brown, there is just no room for Christensen.
A 25-year-old second year player with no position locked down and oodles of potential will not make it on the practice squad. He will get signed very quickly. Amidst their young rebuild, I can see Carolina looking to gain some positive future capital in a swap for Brady Christiansen.
A late round pick, maybe a 5th or a 6th should be able to get it done.
A player like Christiansen is the prototypical guy that I could see Tom Benton molding into an asset. Plus, you can never have enough Mormons on a team, correct? Maybe the change of scenery could prove beneficial to Christiansen’s professional growth.
Tom Compton, Denver
The 32-year-old journeyman Compton is an interesting name to discuss. A familiar face from the past (he played for the Jets back in 2019), Compton saw a resurgence in his play level and productivity after being inserted in the starting lineup in game 8 last season for the Broncos.
Given the opportunity for the reps at RT in the second half of last season, Compton ended up grading out as PFF’s 16th best out of 83 qualified tackles. He did so with an outstanding 89.5 run blocking grade, where he helped pave the way for Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams to take the Denver running attack to a whole new level.
Compton is the quintessential workmanlike veteran that teams, especially young teams like the Jets yearn for. Compton, now in the golden years of his NFL career could still come in if called on and hold down the fort.
This is evident from the work he did in the Denver last year and very reminiscent of the role Morgan Moses was signed to play last season with the Jets.
Always known to be a plus in regard to overall athleticism, Compton can fit right in on either tackle spot and has a lot of familiarity with the outside/wide zone blocking scheme. His 34-inch arms and strong lower half help him play with good force and power on down blocks. Compton plays with smart body control and exudes good effort on second level blocks.
Compton has the ability to play flat-footed with good flexibility and still shows plenty range and foot quickness, even at 32 years old. He may be a step slower these days, which will limit his ceiling in pass sets and may require help from a TE or RB chip from time to time against some of the younger and faster speed rushers.
Compton’s tenure in Denver may come to an end this pre-season. He is battling Cam Fleming for the swing tackle spot in Denver after they signed Billy Price to man the starting RT position this off-season. This may ultimately be a good thing for Jets fans – if he were to lose his roster spot to Fleming it would not cost the Jets any compensation to bring him aboard.
His grizzled veteran presence may just be the remedy to fill the swing tackle role this season and be the security blanket that our young up-and-coming offense needs.
So that is what we got – a few out-of-the-box options that could end up paying high dividends for the Jets. Duane Brown may hold the best value in terms of name and recognition, but is he truly the best fit for the Jets? With Mekhi hurt already, could it be Duane Brown plus a player?
Time will tell, but one thing that is for certain is that we will most likely have a decision sooner rather than later. The time is now for our Jets to take the next step and securing a player that we all feel comfortable with is of paramount importance. By the way, does anyone have Morgan Moses’s phone number? Asking for a friend…
How dark it was before the dawn…
Let’s go Jets…
Hey there, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!
Top site ,.. amazaing post ! Just keep the work on !