The Jets have deployed one of the league’s worst offensive lines in recent years, and their new-look front office plans to address that issue this offseason. The Jets will make their O-line their top priority, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes.
Gang Green has four of its five starters set for free agency, and Brian Winters looms as a prospective cap casualty. The Jets are projected to hold more than $59MM in cap space, prior to any cuts. While the team has big needs at cornerback and edge defender, the Jets are expected to devote key resources to addressing its front.
Kelvin Beachum, Alex Lewis, Ryan Kalil and Brandon Shell are UFAs-to-be. The Jets would save $7.3MM by releasing Winters, their longest-tenured lineman. Winters, 28, missed seven games this season after going on IR in November. Should the Jets opt to let tackles Beachum and Shell walk, a Winters cut would give the team zero starters from its Week 1 lineup. Kalil is not expected to return, and the Jets cut Kelechi Osemele during the season. Considering the Jets benched Shell at one point this season, he would be a good bet to depart. Acquired by the current Jets regime, Lewis may be a candidate to stay.
New York dealt with injuries across its front and ended up ranking 31st in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards metric. This contributed to Le’Veon Bell‘s rough season. The Jets ranked last in that metric in 2018.
Former top-10 picks Brandon Scherff and Jack Conklin are set to be free agents, and the Patriots have Joe Thuney in a walk year. Productive Lions guard Graham Glasgow may be eager to test the market as well. The Jets may well have been linked to many top linemen in the past, considering ex-GM Mike Maccagnan‘s penchant for big March spending. It’s unknown how new GM Joe Douglas will approach this. But it’s likely the team will devote free agency and draft resources to fixing its front.
You’d hope so lol
Waste of a QB, RB, WRs if you dont have an oline. Dont know how Mac didnt see this glaring issue for the years he was GM
As a fan I love this strategy. I know it can’t really be as simple as just focusing on the O line but you look around the league and it really seems that teams with good lines have good offenses and teams with bad lines have bad offenses
The jets had one of the worst lines in football to go with the browns and redskins which are two hot mess teams in the last decade! But great o-line, running game and defense will win championship( just look at the ravens w/ Lamar Jackson, Trent dilfer and flacco all mediocre quarterbacks)
Until this year, the Redskins have been basically an 8-8 team over the last ten years (some years a bit up, some years a bit down). It shows a colossal lack of discernment to confuse a poor season with the Browns’ performance.
The Redskins have only had three 8-8 or better seasons over their last 11 seasons.
It’s a bit early to label Lamar Jackson a mediocre quarterback. He’s probably the most athletic QB they have ever had.
When did dilfer or Flacco win an mvp? Last I knew that award didn’t go to mediocre players
lol yeah they need someone blocking to make Bell look good. Now that they realize it was The O-line in Pittsburgh who made Bell the “best RB in football.”
The Bills did it last year, and wound up in the playoffs.
The Bills being in the playoffs has little to do with their offense…which was 24th in scoring efficiency.
Jets should ship LeVeon Bell to the Chiefs for Damien Williams and a third round pick.
Jets clear that huge contract, get a younger replacement and a nice pick. Chiefs get a great running back which suits Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes perfectly. None of there RBs went for more than 500 yards so Bell running or catching would be a huge upgrade.
An offence with Mahomes Bell Hill Watkins and Kelce would be special.
If the chiefs wanted him, they’d have just signed him as a free agent last offseason. RB is a rare position where you drop a good chunk of salary cap.
Kind of difficult to do well with a bad offensive line as Bell has learned…..
I can think of at least half a dozen other teams that will be making the OL their top priority. Jets always find someone to overpay, so who will be the lucky player be this off season?
Agree that’s how you build a winning team.
Really wonder what will the excuse be once they fix the offense of line and Sam Darnold is still not performing.
Darnold has done well when the pocket is clean, so I dont know why youre expecting he’ll stop doing that when he has a consistently clean pocket. I dont see him being super crazy good, like an MVP, if given a good oline but he can clearly be a solid QB with one.