Getty Offensive lineman Austin Deculus working out at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
The New York Jets won a bidding war against an AFC foe for a talented offensive lineman.
NFL insider Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team broke the news on X (previously Twitter) on Monday, November 13. Gang Green claimed offensive tackle Austin Deculus off waivers from the Houston Texans.
Meirov said the Indianapolis Colts also put in a waiver claim for Deculus, but the Jets had a “higher priority.”
The waiver wire is organized by the reverse order of the standings. In other words, the worse your record is the higher your priority is. Gang Green is 4-5 heading into Week 11 and the Colts are 5-5.
In a corresponding move, the Jets waived defensive tackle Tanzel Smart to make room for Deculus.
The #Jets have claimed OT Austin Deculus off waivers from the Texans and waived DT Tanzel Smart
Jets Add Some More Protection Upfront for Zach Wilson
Deculus is only 24 years of age and originally entered the NFL as the No. 205 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
He spent the first year and a half of his career with the Texans. During that span of time, he has appeared in 12 games and has made one start.
The Texans waived Deculus on Saturday, November 11 after making a flurry of roster moves ahead of Week 10.
Deculus is listed at 6-foot-5 and weighed in at 321 pounds. He played 38 snaps at left tackle this season for Houston, per Pro Football Focus.
Although NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein called him a “right-tackle-only prospect” during the pre-draft process. Throughout his college career at LSU from 2017 through 2021, he had 59 starts at right tackle.
This will provide the Jets with some invaluable depth at the offensive tackle position to help protect quarterback Zach Wilson.
Max Mitchell Pops in Primetime Jets-Raiders Matchup
The Jets have been berated by injuries for the second year in a row on the offensive line. That has forced the team to once again trot out second-year offensive lineman Max Mitchell into the starting lineup.
On Sunday, November, 12 Mitchell was dealt the unenviable task of blocking one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in the Las Vegas Raiders game.
Entering the contest, defensive lineman Maxx Crosby had 9.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 15 quarterback hits. That sack total is the fourth-best in the NFL and many expected Crosby to feast in this Jets matchup.
Despite those impressive accolades, Crosby got shut down in the Jets game. He finished with three total tackles and a pair of quarterback hits.
Feel like Max Mitchell lowkey balled against Maxx Crosby last night… excited to see the tape but feels like that was one of his better games as a pro if not his best
Will Parkinson said on X previously Twitter that he feels like, “Max Mitchell lowkey balled against Maxx Crosby last night… excited to see the tape but feels like that was one of his better games as a pro if not his best.”
With Billy Turner out with a finger injury that required surgery, Mitchell bounced out to right tackle. It’ll be interesting to see what the Jets do when some of their other offensive linemen start to get healthy.
Duane Brown is expected to return sooner rather than later. He has only played left tackle during his NFL career. If the Jets put him back there, then Mekhi Becton would bounce to the right tackle spot. That would force the Jets to put Mitchell on the bench or plug him back in at right guard.