Rich Cimini of ESPN said that New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh “all but handed the [left tackle] job” to Duane Brown during his media availability on Tuesday, June 6.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh was asked if it’s realistic that Duane Brown could play RT in 2023 considering he hasn’t played the position since college, ‘I have a feeling Duane will be a hard out’ [at left tackle] + @Connor_J_Hughes asked for clarity on that, ‘he’s going to be hard to…
Cimini says that means it could be right tackle or bust for former first-round pick Mekhi Becton in training camp. It’s no guarantee the big man will have a starting gig this fall and one of the reasons for that is veteran Billy Turner.
“Keep an eye on him” is how Cimini described his chances in the upcoming right tackle competition.
This Could Be an Incredibly Awkward Jets Training Camp Storyline
Becton made it abundantly clear during his interview with Bob Glauber of Newsday that he doesn’t want to play right tackle.
Saleh, in response to questions about that viral interview, said Becton’s preference would have no bearing on what the coaching staff ultimately decided to do with the depth chart.
Both Brown and Saleh were noncommittal on whether or not he’d be ready health-wise by the time training camp rolled around. If he’s not ready to go, what do the Jets do?
Do they legitimately let Becton get reps at left tackle even though it has been laid out that it’s Brown’s job to lose? What happens if/when Brown is healthy? Do they just shove Becton back over to the right side in a cruel game of musical chairs?
In a perfect world, you’d like Becton practicing at the same position he is going to play during the regular season.
Saleh told Becton this offseason to go “earn” the left tackle gig if he wants it. However the phrasing this offseason suggests it isn’t a genuine competition.
Brown has only played left tackle at the NFL level. Becton was practicing at right tackle during training camp last summer.
If we get to camp and Becton realizes he doesn’t have a real shot at left tackle, how does he respond?
I did an interview with Andy Vasquez of NJ Advance Media on Thursday, June 8 and he said everything is on the table.
Becton just plays right tackle in a contract year. He could potentially get so frustrated that he requests a trade. Or he just straight-up refuses to play right tackle.
“Honestly I think [all of those] are completely possible,” Vasquez explained. “It’s unpredictable given what he said, he doesn’t seem to be backing off of it. Obviously, the team isn’t backing off of it. I don’t know, anything is possible.”
Billy Turner’s Time to Shine on Jets in 2023
Putting Becton’s own decision-making to the side, Vasquez believes there is a very realistic path that includes the big man losing his job in a straight-up competition with Turner in camp.
“It’s also hard to see [Becton] winning the right tackle job because [Aaron] Rodgers has a lot of trust in Billy Turner. I mean it’s going to be very interesting.”
Turner crossed over for three seasons with Rodgers in Green Bay from 2019 through 2021. In addition to the connections to A-Rod, Turner also followed Nathaniel Hackett when he transitioned from the Packers offensive coordinator role to the head coaching position with the Denver Broncos in 2022.
This offseason he followed him once more, this time to New York.
Turner signed a one-year deal for $1.65 million. He has been mostly overlooked by the fan base in the right tackle competition this offseason, but he has a path toward a starting gig.
In Turner’s nine seasons in the NFL, he has appeared in 91 games and has made 75 starts.
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Jets 1st-Rounder Could Get Demoted for $1.6 Million Veteran