The New York Jets received some alarming concerns from the final training camp practice.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said on Tuesday, August 25, “By my count, the Jets backup O-Line has allowed five sacks today with Cade Klubnik at QB.”
Rosenblatt wasn’t the only one who noticed the shoddy play from the backups in the trenches.
“Jets backup O-line: Pass protection is leaky (understatement). Klubnik has held the ball at times but too many free rushers,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini posted on X.
Analyst Is Concerned With This Potential Foreshadowing
In the Week 2, 17-0 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Jets allowed four sacks.
ESPN New York’s Jake Asman didn’t like what he saw from the backup linemen that suited up in that contest.
“Some negatives I have in my notes, and we kind of alluded to it when I talked about [Cade] Klubnik. He was under way too much pressure. The second team and third team offensive line, not very good. Now I get it, most teams probably have bad offensive lines besides their starters. The Jets last year were remarkably healthy on the offensive line. They were, we can call it for what it is. Last year, the New York Jets started the same five guys for all 17 games. Now, yes, Alijah Vera-Tucker got hurt on the Tuesday before Week 1, I get it, but they didn’t have another injury to their offensive line. The odds of that happening again two years in a row feel unlikely, right?” Asman openly asked.
“I don’t think they have great offensive line depth, especially in the interior … I think the backup offensive line, eh, I don’t know if you can feel great about it … The Jets better hope the starting offensive line stays healthy because the depth behind it is not going to inspire a whole lot of confidence,” Asman bluntly stated.
“[Cade Klubnik] was under way too much pressure. The second & third team offensive line, not very good … I don’t think they have great offensive line depth, especially in the interior
Is There Any Mougey Magic Left?
The Jets had a defensive tackle issue last season. It was abundantly clear throughout the entire offseason. Right before the start of the 2025 campaign, general manager Darren Mougey solved the problem.
He pulled off a pair of savvy trades to acquire Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs to fortify the position. Could Mougey make lightning strike in the same place twice?
The defensive tackle position is one of the deepest on the Jets’ roster ahead of 2026, but the same can’t be said for the other side of the trenches. However, the problem is that every team in the NFL doesn’t have enough offensive line depth.
The supply of good linemen is always low, and the demand is always sky-high.
So if Mougey is going to pull a rabbit out of the hat, it’ll be more difficult than last year. The brutally honest conversation is the Jets’ depth in the trenches is going to get tested this year; it’s a near guarantee.
The Jets were the only team in the NFL last year that started the same five guys on the offensive line. Gang Green hadn’t accomplished that feat as an organization since 2012.
They’re unlikely to pull that off in back-to-back years. That means the Jets’ depth on the O-Line better be on point, or else the issues in training camp could be some serious foreshadowing for the season to come.
Jets Receive Alarming Concerns After Practice