Having declined Ryan Clady‘s 2017 option, the Jets are in need of a starting left tackle, and the club may look internally to fill the void on the blindside. New York is trying to re-sign pending free agent offensive lineman Ben Ijalana, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
[RELATED: New York Jets Depth Chart]
Ijalana, 27, was slated to act as a backup during the 2017 campaign, but injuries along Gang Green’s offensive line forced him into the starting lineup. Over the course of 13 starts, Ijalana graded out as the league’s No. 60 offensive tackle, per Pro Football Focus, which ranked Ijalana just two spots higher than Clady.
A former second-round pick, Ijalana had never started a contest before 2016. Two ACL tears wrecked his time with the Colts, who eventually waived him in 2012. Ijalana has been under New York’s control ever since, but didn’t factor into the club’s plans until this past year.
The Jets could still theoretically re-sign Clady at a lower salary, but otherwise the team’s options at left tackle are limited. The draft doesn’t feature any high-end prospects at the position, while free agency offers Andrew Whitworth, Riley Reiff, and a cavalcade of unsurprising options.
60th rated offensive tackle…and they want to resign him… why ?!
Depth. And its better to have someone signed then going into free agency/draft and hoping you find someone. Plus the Jets don’t have a whole lotta cap space to spend on a top tier tackle.