So there is good news and bad news for the New York Jets.
On the positive side, they came out of the season opener without any injuries to report. However, the unluckiness of the injuries hit Gang Green during the last handful of weeks.
Mekhi Becton was once again lost for the season. The guy that was signed to replace him, Duane Brown, was placed on injured reserve ahead of the Baltimore Ravens game which rules him out for a minimum of four games.
That leaves the Jets dangerously thin on the offensive line and that apparently will force the team’s hand here mid-season.
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A Never-Ending Search for Hog Mollies
Doug Kyed, an NFL reporter for Pro Football Focus, shared on Twitter that the Jets “are looking for more help at offensive tackle,” per sources.
Here is the current state of the address at the offensive tackle position for the green and white.
The two starters are George Fant on the left side and rookie Max Mitchell on the right. That is likely going to be your tackle tandem for the foreseeable future with Brown out at least a month if not longer.
On the bench, they have Conor McDermott who suffered an ankle injury during the green-and-white scrimmage that has kept him out of the picture.
McDermott is the only backup tackle currently on the roster. Ahead of the Week 1 game versus the Ravens on Sunday the Jets had to elevate reserve Grant Hermanns off of the practice squad.
So in other words this room is in dire straits merely a week into the 2022 season.
Some Possible Targets for Jets to Consider
No names were mentioned as possible targets for the Jets by Kyed, but we took a gander at the top remaining available options at offensive tackle via Spotrac.
Before we even dive in, obviously at this stage of the game the choices are extremely limited and anyone that is still available, is available for a reason.
However, desperate times call for desperate measures and the Jets have no other choice but to turn over a few rocks.
Eric Fisher
- 31 years of age
- 132 game appearances
- 129 career starts
Out of all the options, Fisher is arguably the most accomplished. He is coming off of a halfway decent season with the Indianapolis Colts. A former No. 1 overall pick who obviously has a ton of talent.
Marcus Cannon
- 34 years of age
- 119 game appearances
- 73 career starts
We brought up this option in an article last week when one of the beat reporters suggested it as a possibility. Since then he has signed onto the New England Patriots practice squad. That doesn’t prevent anything because the Jets could swoop in and still poach him but they’d have to sign him to the 53-man roster.
A three-time Super Bowl champion who would bring the championship pedigree the Jets have been looking for. Even beyond that though is the experience and reliability he would provide.
Brandon Shell
- 30 years of age
- 70 game appearances
- 61 career starts
Who doesn’t love family reunions? Shell is a former Jets draft choice and believe it or not has carved out a solid career for himself. He doesn’t have nearly as high of a ceiling as the other players mentioned on this list, but he is serviceable.
Daryl Williams
- 30 years of age
- 89 game appearances
- 74 career starts
Williams is one of the most underrated players on this list. He spent the last two seasons on the Buffalo Bills and quite frankly produced at an insane level.
2020 grades from PFF: 79.4 overall (fantastic), 80 pass block grade (spectacular), and 76.9 run block grade (not too shabby).
2021 was less special but still really solid when you look at the numbers: 67.5 overall, 72.4 pass block grade, and 60.3 run block grade.
All of these options would be significant upgrades over what the Jets have and it would benefit them greatly to make a move sooner rather than later.
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Jets ‘Looking for More Help’ on Free Agent Market: Report