Jets To Sign G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif

After a Wednesday workout, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is coming back to New York. The veteran guard took a second NFL hiatus to pursue his medical career, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) he is signing with the Jets for another go-round.

Duvernay-Tardif, 31, has spent most of his career with the Chiefs. He finished last season with the Jets, following a trade, but left football for a second time this offseason. The former sixth-round pick, who was the first player to exercise his COVID-19 opt-out right in 2020, will return to a Jets team that has seen some offensive line injuries change its plans this season.

An ACL tear shut down Alijah Vera-Tucker for the season. Drafted in the first round to play guard, Vera-Tucker had been working at tackle after the Jets experienced rampant health issues at that position. The player tabbed to take over inside for the second-year blocker, Nate Herbig, is now battling an injury as well. A shin issue sidelined Herbig at the Jets’ Wednesday practice.

This is a practice squad agreement, one that comes weeks after the Jets added Mike Remmers on a P-squad deal. Remmers moved up to Gang Green’s active roster soon. Duvernay-Tardif should be expected to follow suit. The Canadian lineman/doctor has been a regular starter in all but one season of his career.

A 2014 Chiefs draftee, Duvernay-Tardif broke into Kansas City’s starting lineup in his second season. The Chiefs later extended him, and Patrick Mahomes‘ initial O-lines featured the multitalented blocker at right guard. LDT has made 64 career starts.

Duvernay-Tardif started throughout the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV-winning season, but after his 2020 opt-out — aimed at helping fight the coronavirus in his native Canada — the team changed plans. Trey Smith, a sixth-rounder last year, took over that spot after the Chiefs filled their left guard role — with high-priced free agent Joe Thuney — earlier in 2021. The Chiefs traded Duvernay-Tardif to the Jets before last year’s deadline. He started seven of the eight games he played with the Jets last season.

After being dealt to a rebuilding Jets team last year, Duvernay-Tardif may be called upon to help a playoff contender. The 6-3 Jets, who are riding the NFL’s longest playoff drought (11 years), have Dan Feeney as a backup interior option behind Herbig and Laken Tomlinson. Duvernay-Tardif will now factor into this mix.