ORLANDO, Fla. – A top priority for the Jets this offseason was transforming their offensive line.
That was clear to anyone watching as the Jets offense struggled in 2023 after going through 13 different starting line combinations.
General manager Joe Douglas addressed the line in the first week of free agency by signing left tackle Tyron Smith and left guard John Simpson and trading for right tackle Morgan Moses.
Douglas reflected on those moves this week at an NFL owners conference.
“I think the main purpose of the offseason was to strengthen our offensive line,” Douglas said. “That was Goal 1. I’m happy with what I accomplished there and some of the other goals I had for the offseason. But [there’s] It’s still a long way off. ”
The Jets added talent. Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and should come to Canton at some point. The Jets have known Moses since his time with the team in 2021, and he has played well for the Ravens the past two years. Simpson emerged as a reliable starter in Baltimore a year ago.
But there are also age and injury issues.
Smith and Moses are both 33 years old. Smith played in 30 games over the past four years, but didn’t practice at all last season as Dallas tried to keep him out all season. Moses underwent surgery to repair his torn pectoral muscle after the Ravens’ season ended in the playoffs.
Aliyah Vera-Tucker, one of the returning members of the offensive line, is recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon in October.
Smith’s contract includes incentives based on playing time. His base salary is $6.5 million, but depending on incentives he could rise to $20 million.
There is also a lot of incentive to sign receiver Mike Williams, who is recovering from a torn ACL.
This will protect the Jets financially if players can’t play, but it won’t help them on the field if players who have been plagued by injuries in recent years get hurt again in 2024. .
“When you make a decision like that, you take everything into account,” Douglas said. “Many contracts are structured in such a way that if the player is on the field and performs, they are paid well. I think we have structured it in such a way that it will be extremely useful when demonstrating
It feels like every sentence about the Jets’ 2024 expectations is punctuated with the words “if they can stay healthy.” The centerpiece of this is the attacking team.
“If they can stay on the field, they’re pretty dynamic,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “That’s always the trick, no matter which player you bring in. Aaron Rodgers has been healthy his entire career. Four plays in, he’s down. You never know when it’s going to happen. We’re going to do our best to keep them healthy and we’re going to do our best to build depth around them.”
The moves the Jets made on the line won’t prevent them from drafting a tackle with the No. 10 pick in next month’s NFL Draft. Smith and Moses are both 33 years old and on one-year deals, so the Jets would be wise to invest in their backs, even if the No. 10 overall pick means they won’t be day-one starters.
“I think this is an unbelievable O-line class,” Douglas said. “It’s an incredible class at quite a few positions. I think our current situation has a lot of flexibility to move in the direction that’s best for us going forward. I think it opens the door to possibilities.”
With the addition of new players, Joe Tippman will be the starting center and Vera Tucker will be able to play right guard, meaning he won’t be moving this year like he was the past two years. The Jets felt that position changes for Berra and Tucker contributed to their season-ending injuries the past two years. He is scheduled to return in the first week of this year.
“Our goal is to do everything we can to keep him healthy,” Saleh said. “Our goal is to keep him in one position. Right guard for now. The goal is to keep him there all season.”
