The New York Jets have made a grave error.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and it would be naive to expect a team to fill every roster void in a single offseason. However, there are some things that can’t be trifled with and offensive line depth is one of them.
Here is who they should add ahead of training camp and why it would make a tremendous difference.
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Makes a Ton of Sense
There is a proven veteran offensive tackle who is still available and ready to sign with an NFL franchise.
That man’s name is Jason Peters.
The 40-year-old recently did an interview with Sirius XM NFL radio and said that he is continuing to stay in shape and is waiting for a team to come calling.
In that conversation Peters shared what he is looking for in his next stop via Pro Football Talk:
“Looking for an upcoming offensive line, good team — or a playoff team. Either/or is good for me because I can pass my torch on to some guys who are trying to get better, the younger guys, the new generation. Or if I get on a team with some vets, they already know how I rock, and we can just go into the playoffs and make a run and try to win another ring. But right now, either way, is good for me because I can teach or I can sit back and listen and learn from other veterans who have played this game, too. So either way is good.”
Last year he was with the Chicago Bears, prior to that he spent 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and he started his career with the Buffalo Bills (spent another five years there).
In his career, Peters has earned nine Pro Bowl nominations, a Super Bowl championship, and two first-team All-Pro nods.
When he was a free agent back in 2020 the Jets were a team that showed a ton of interest in Peters, per NFL Network.
The #Jets are one of the teams drawing the most interest in veteran LT Jason Peters
(Via: @nflnetwork)
That was after the team already had Mekhi Becton and a freshly signed George Fant on the roster. Peters in that scenario would’ve been the veteran swing tackle and mentor for the locker room.
Peters spent four seasons together with Jets general manager Joe Douglas. During that time the Eagles won their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
The two know each other, the Jets have a clear need, and the veteran is open to coming to a spot where he doesn’t have to be a guaranteed starter.
Can’t Mess Around
The Jets have had an outstanding offseason and they’ve had rose petals thrown at their feet by fans and media analysts alike.
However, if there is one point of criticism it is their lack of urgency to add a reliable offensive tackle in an emergency scenario. You don’t want to wait for the emergency to happen, you want to be prepared.
I was always taught that in life you should hope for the best and expect the worst. Right now the Jets are hoping Becton and Fant will stay healthy, but they aren’t properly prepared if they can’t.
Connor Hughes on the Can’t-Wait Podcast sounded off on this saying this is one of the bigger mistakes by the Jets:
“You should have gone out there and signed a veteran that you know can play on the offensive line even if it meant paying more.”
.@Connor_J_Hughes said one of the bigger mistakes the #Jets made was not adding a reliable OT this offseason + ‘you should have gone out there & signed a veteran that you know can play on the OL even if it meant paying more: 🎥 Can’t Wait Pod #TakeFlight #JetsCamp
A lot of fans have pointed at the success of Morgan Moses last year as a reason you should be ready for any scenario. Becton in a fluke injury got rolled up on and was out for the year. Moses was a godsend however it was inevitable he was going to leave this offseason.
The Jets couldn’t guarantee him a starting job so he decided to get paid in free agency and found a team that would be willing to. Spoiler alert he did in the Baltimore Ravens.
Now they are without a security net and that’s bad news for a season that is supposed to revolve around their franchise quarterback Zach Wilson. The only way for him to take the next step in his development is to be upright and that might not be possible if Becton or Fant go down this season.
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