FLORHAM PARK — There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for the New York Jets regarding their offensive line. Players are making their way back from injuries and key promotions have turned the tide for a group that has been the weakest link to the organization since the start of training camp.
Alijah Vera-Tucker and Laken Tomlinson were back at practice Tuesday and Duane Brown is undergoing tests to hopefully be removed from the PUP list. That means three of the projected starters on the depth chart are expected back with under three weeks to go before the start of the regular season.
A stark difference from the last few weeks of camp.
Arguably the biggest adjustment to the Jets’ offensive line had nothing to do with their interior group or the return of Duane Brown. Mekhi Becton taking first-team reps with the starting offensive line at right tackle is a tremendous change to a group whose tackles were seen as the weakest link.
Becton dominated in last Saturday’s preseason contest against Tampa Bay and now is expected to start against the Giants on Saturday.
“He did a really nice job on Saturday. He looks like his cardio has improved. We’re going to give him a run at RT,” Saleh said of Becton before Tuesday’s practice.
The combination of Brown, Tomlinson, McGovern, AVT, and Becton offers the Jets one of their most complete offensive lines since Alan Faneca, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, and Nick Mangold patrolled the interior. The only thing stopping this group from reaching the heights of that precious group though is something that has already reared its head through August.
Injuries.
Any injury to the projected starting five could be a massive problem for the Jets in the 2023 season. The fact that they haven’t had a full practice yet together also plays a role in the team’s overall development.
“There’s been some shuffling up front. Some of our guys are back in today and trending to where they were for the past week or so, so it’ll be nice to be out there with those five,” Aaron Rodgers said following Tuesday’s practice. “We have a lot to get done in the next two weeks. There’s going to be new stuff, so we need to make every rep count.”
Protecting Rodgers is now the chief concern for the entire offensive line. If New York can’t, the excitement that the offseason brought could quickly turn to dread the minute the 2023 season begins. Luckily for the Jets, the seeds of chemistry have been growing long before Rodgers coming to New York was even a thought.
Back when AVT was drafted in the first-round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Jets believed that they had the future of the left side of their offensive line figured out with the guard joining Becton on the left side. Things haven’t worked out so well for those thoughts in the last two years, but the AVT-Becton combo is finally healthy and playing together.
For Becton, it’s been two years since his last NFL game. Now penciled in as the starting right tackle for the team, the Jets believe they have two of the brightest young linemen in the game paired together for the next few years.
“I’m enjoying getting to know him. He’s a fierce competitor on the field and I’m excited about having him out there,” Rodgers stated of Becton.
The positivity coming from the Jets’ offensive line room is a far cry from where they originally were just a few weeks ago when Becton was struggling to finish practices, and AVT wasn’t on the field. Now, with four of the five projected starters on the field together, (with the fifth on the way) the Jets can now focus solely on preparing for the start of the 2023 regular season.
The Jets may have a tough schedule but if their offensive line stays healthy, there’s no limit to how far New York can climb atop the AFC mountain.
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