All eyes will be on Aaron Rodgers next month when the Jets open up training camp, but what’s going on ahead of him could be key to the team’s season.
The Jets’ offensive line is like a puzzle scattered on the dining room table, waiting to be put together. How well Robert Saleh and his coaches solve this mystery will be critical for the 2023 Jets.
Like every quarterback, Rodgers needs protection. The attack line of the aircraft is still a mystery.
The only player you really feel 100% positive at the moment is right-hander Alijah Vera-Tucker, and even he’s back from injury. The rest of the group has questions.
Let’s take a deeper look at the offensive line, stand by stance, from the biggest question mark to the smallest.
left tackle
It will be interesting to see how the Jets handle this contest in training camp.
Do Duane Brown and Mekhi Picton split time at left tackle? Do the two players alternate between right and left tackle?
Neither player considers himself a right tackle. Saleh and new offensive line coach Keith Carter will have to navigate that.
My reading is that Brown has the inside track at the beginning of the business.
Every time Saleh talks about it, it gushes. Brown won over a lot of fans inside the Jets building last year by playing with a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder when he could have been sitting up and collecting his money.
“You know I love Duane. He got the team’s first annual Unselfish Warrior award for what he sacrificed,” Salih said. “Like I said, last year his money was secured, he didn’t have to play it cool…he didn’t have to Subjecting his body to what he did, but he got on the court, played as many games as he could with ripped rotator cuffs and did a really great job, so he’s going to fight for that.
“He doesn’t think he’s entitled to anything. He thinks he should earn everything, and there’s a reason why he’s played for so long and has had so much success. I mean, look at him: he’s a brick house. He can still play for as many years as he is.” ready to play.”
The “entitled” part of that quote seemed like a dig at Becton, who recently told Newsday that he believes he should be left tackle even after missing nearly all of the past two seasons.
I think Picton has an uphill battle to be the left tackle. He pissed off a lot of people inside the Jets by giving that interview last month and blaming the coaches for his knee injury.
There is some optimism around Picton after he lost a lot of weight this season and seems committed to being a professional for the first time in his career. But with this optimism, many doubts remain.
I don’t think the planes will count on Picton entering the camp. If you surprise them, they will be happy.
Brown had shoulder surgery after last season and indicated last week that he wasn’t sure if he’d be ready to start training camp.
If the Browns start camp unable to practice, that could open the door for Picton.
Correct handling
This brings us to the other side. Picton may not consider himself a right tackle, but his best shots at the start come on the right side.
Brown is very expert at moving to the right side. The Jets moved Picton to the right side last year before he sustained a knee injury. Why don’t they do it again?
However, Becton will not be handed a job. He’ll have to outsmart a cast that includes Max Mitchell, who impressed as a rookie last year, Billy Turner, who played Rogers in the past, and Carter Warren, who was a fourth-round pick this year.
In the end, I think Picton will win this job. He is more talented than the players he competes with. The bigger question is whether Becton can stay on the field. If he can make it through training camp healthy, there’s no reason not to expect Becton to be the right starter.
center
One of the biggest surprises this season for me was the Jets re-signing Conor McGovern right before the draft.
It felt as if the club was ready to move on from McGovern after his three years as a starter. But the Jets dispensed with some free agent options and brought McGovern back in April.
A few days later, they recruited Joe Tipman in the second round.
This sets up a contest to watch in the camp. McGovern clearly has the experience, and maybe he’ll start out on top as the incumbent. But you have to think the Jets are excited to get Tepman in there and see what he can do.
It will be interesting to hear what Rodgers thinks about playing a rookie versus a veteran. The quarterback can swing this competition in someone’s favor if he so chooses.
left guard
Laken Tomlinson returned for his second year with the Jets, but came off a disappointing first season. The Jets have to hope Tomlinson can bounce back and prove he’s worth the big money contract they handed him last year.
No one on the list would make me think the Jets could give Tomlinson a short collar. Wes Schweitzer, Tristan Colon and Tiebmann are likely to be the reserve guards. Unless the Jets think Tippmann is a better guard than the quarterback, Tomlinson’s spot is safe — even if he fumbles again.
Right guard
Vera-Tucker has been on the field training during the spring, and it looks like he’s back from the torn triceps that ended his season in 2022.
Vera Tucker showed his ability last year, starting in three different positions along the line. Aircraft loves its versatility. But they think he could be an All-Pro right guard, so that’s where he’ll play.
Want to pick up a game? The Jets schedule with links to purchase tickets can be found here.
Zak Backup
One of the questions I keep getting from people is if Zach Wilson will actually be the second-place finisher behind Rodgers.
Yes, it will be. charity.
The Jets want Wilson to get as many reps as possible this spring and at training camp, and being the backup quarterback is the way to do that. The No. 3 or No. 4 quarterback gets very few reps in practice.
Wilson is better than Tim Boyle and Chris Striveler. This is not a situation where there is someone to challenge for a backup job.
Wilson should also get plenty of playing time in the preseason. Rodgers is not expected to play in those games.
Like every team in the NFL, the Jets don’t want to see their reserve play this season. But if Rodgers gets injured, you’ll see the No. 2 again under the middle.
Stat is that
Rodgers took over as a full-time starter at Green Bay for the 2008 season after the Packers traded Brett Favre to the Jets. Since then, he’s put up some big numbers.
Here are the top 10 quarterbacks in total passing yards since 2008 and how Rodgers stacks up:
1. Tom Brady: 62,844 yards, 452 TDs / 126 INT
2. Matt Ryan: 62,792 yards, 381 TDs / 183 INTs
3. Drew Brees (as of 2020): 59,169 yards, 437 TDs / 161 INTs
4. Aaron Rodgers (2008-22): 58,726 yards, 474 TDs / 104 INTs
5. Philip Rivers (as of 2020): 56,752 yards, 377 TDs / 184 INTs
6. Ben Roethlisberger (until 2021): 52,415 yards, 334 TDs / 157 INTs
7. Matthew Stafford (from 2009): 52,082 yards, 333 TDs / 169 INTs
8. Eli Manning (through 2019): 45,638 yards, 289 TDs / 180 INTs
9. Joe Flacco: 42,320 yards, 232 TDs / 147 INTs
10. Russell Wilson (from 2012): 40,583 yards, 308 TDs / 98 INTs (started his career in 2012)
Source: Stathead