The Jets needed Cedric Ogbuehi to start on five occasions last season, and with George Fant no longer on the roster, the team will keep the former first-round pick in the fold.
Ogbuehi re-signed with the Jets on Tuesday. This agreement will give the journeyman tackle a chance to play a ninth NFL season and gives the AFC East team some depth at a position where questions exist at both starting spots.
After stints with the Jaguars, Seahawks, Ravens and Texans, the former Bengals first-rounder played a regular role for the Jets, who picked him up off Houston’s practice squad in late September. Injuries hamstrung the Jets at tackle last season, leading Ogbuehi from a P-squad slot on a rebuilding team to a Jets starter in a matter of weeks.
Fant, Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Max Mitchell each went down last year. The Jets slid Vera-Tucker to right tackle in an emergency circumstance, but the former first-round guard draftee suffered an ACL tear that brought Ogbuehi into the starting lineup. Ogbuehi, however, did not last too long before going down himself. A groin injury sent the veteran spot starter to IR, but he re-emerged to start in New York’s finale in Miami.
The Jets have Brown under contract, though he underwent offseason surgery ahead of what will be his age-38 season, but Fant is a free agent. Becton, whom the team moved to right tackle last year, is making strides; but the former top prospect has played one game over the past two seasons. Gang Green has been connected to a first-round tackle investment in this year’s draft. With the Jets’ No. 13 overall pick not expected to factor into an Aaron Rodgers trade — should that move even be made by the draft — tackle is an obvious place for the suddenly intriguing team to focus.
Ogbuehi, 31 next week, did not live up to his No. 21 overall draft slot. But the Texas A&M product has managed an eight-year career. He accompanies Mitchell as depth pieces in New York; Mitchell joined Ogbuehi in starting five games last season. But blood clots led to Mitchell’s rookie year ending early.
This guy was a big miss for Cincinnati. Watched him flail around for years and never quite figure it out.
Cedric, Billy Price, Jonah Williams all big misses for the Bengals. Don’t know wether they learned from their mistakes or are just lucky but the last few haven’t been bad at all.
Depth is good, but the Jets really need a recovery from Becton and a true find or two during the draft. The top four tackles are Peter Skoronski (who could be pushed inside to guard), Paris Johnson Jr., Darnell Wright, and Broderick Jones. For center, I’m sure they’d like to see Jon Michael Schmitt fall to them in Round 2.