The New York Jets have lost a puzzle piece to a bitter rival.
Field Yates of ESPN was the first to share the news on social media that the New England Patriots have signed veteran offensive lineman Conor McDermott off of the Jets practice squad.
The Patriots have signed OT Conor McDermott off of the Jets’ practice squad, per source.
McDermott entered the NFL as a 2017 sixth-round pick of the Patriots.
After logging one snap for the Jets this past Sunday against the Patriots, he now re-joins his original team.
This will be a reunion for McDermott who originally started his NFL career with the Patriots back in 2017 as the No. 211 overall pick in the sixth round of the NFL draft.
Conor McDermott Leaves a Massive Void for the Jets to Fill
McDermott was a beloved figure in New England, even though he didn’t spend that much time there.
After being drafted in April, McDermott received his pink slip ahead of final roster cuts in his rookie season.
Connor Hughes of SNY talked to the monster-sized offensive lineman prior to the Jets-Patriots game over the weekend and joked that he, “looked like the mayor of Foxborough.”
After McDermott’s brief initial stint with the Patriots, he spent the next three seasons with the Buffalo Bills from 2017 through a chunk of 2019.
After the Bills cut bait, the Jets claimed him off of waivers and he’s been with the team ever since. The former UCLA product appeared in 35 games and started in six of those contests.
While he wasn’t particularly great in any of his starts, he presented a veteran option that had some battle scars. Now the Jets’ offensive tackle depth is left pretty thin for the second-half stretch of the 2022 season.
Patriots Roster Move That Stings Like the Dickens
Not only did the Patriots sweep the Jets this season. They have won 14 in a row in this series.
On The Michael Kay Show on Monday, Robert Saleh compared the Jets-Patriots rivalry to Michael Jordan trying to learn how to beat the Detroit Pistons.
“You gotta learn to exorcise your demons and we’ll get two more opportunities next year.”
Unfortunately, the Jets will have to wait another calendar year to attempt to satisfy their thirst for vengeance. New England was able to get a pair of wins and add some insult to injury by stealing away one of their players this week.
McDermott has impressive size at 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, and has had situational moments of looking competent. The overall sample size though has been very questionable.
The Jets’ starters at offensive tackle are Duane Brown and Cedric Ogbuehi. Obbuehi is a temporary starter until either George Fant or Max Mitchell returns to the lineup.
With McDermott gone, the Jets don’t have any great proven options on the practice squad to step in at a moment’s notice.
This offensive line has been a victim of a slew of injuries from the preseason through the NFL regular season. The NFL doesn’t normally spit out a champion at the season’s end that was the best. Honestly, it often comes down to a battle of attrition. Who can survive the marathon that is the NFL season?
The answer to that question is quite often the one hosting the Lombardi trophy in February.
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Jets Get Talented OL Poached by Rival Patriots: Report