Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Salek walking around in New Jersey.
A New York Jets youngster has made a remarkable turnaround.
Rich Cimini of ESPN was recently tasked with selecting a “surprise offseason standout” from the Gang Green roster. He chose offensive tackle Max Mitchell as the guy that had piqued his curiosity over the last handful of months.
“The 2022 fourth-round pick, who missed time last season with a knee sprain and a hereditary blood clotting condition, rebounded with a strong offseason. Mitchell, who started five games in 2022 at right tackle, will compete for that job in training camp,” Cimini explained in a column posted on Tuesday, June 27.
“He was in the midst of a solid rookie year when clots were discovered in one of his lungs and his right calf, ending his season. He can manage the condition with medication, which will allow him to continue his career.”
Mitchell Overachieved for the Jets in 2022
The Jets selected Mitchell out of Louisiana with the No. 111 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Connor Rogers labeled the hog molly a “developmental tackle” on the Bleacher Report draft desk.
“Overall with Max Mitchell, he is a guy that is not coming in to start,” Rogers explained on the show. “You have Mekhi Becton on one side and you have George Fant on one side. Now Max Mitchell is your swing tackle.”
.@ConnorJRogers likes #Jets selection of OT Max Mitchell (@MaxMitch09) out of @RaginCajunsFB, ‘a developmental tackle’ + @seniorbowl guy + likes him as the swing tackle in 2022 + gave it a B- grade & @InTheBleachers gave it a B: 🎥 @BleacherReport #NFLDraft #TakeFlight
When the Jets selected Mitchell they viewed him as a developmental piece that in theory could compete for a starting gig during the 2023 season, not the 2022 campaign.
However, as Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Becton was lost for the season in August due to a fractured right knee cap. The Jets quickly pivoted to a solution outside of the building by signing veteran Duane Brown to a two-year deal for $20 million.
During the preparations for the season opener, Brown tore his rotator cuff and was placed on injured reserve.
That proved to be just the beginning of the problems for the Jets on the offensive line during the 2022 campaign. However, these injuries early in the season opened the door for Mitchell to go from developmental tackle to Week 1 starter as a rookie.
All in all, Mitchell appeared in six games and made five starts on the offensive line.
Pro Football Focus graded him 55.5 overall, 53.8 pass blocking, and 52.7 run blocking in 2022.
Mitchell wasn’t among the best offensive linemen in football as a rookie but he proved to be serviceable.
What a play by Max Mitchell! Works with AVT to move the 3-tech inside and then peels off to clear the LB out of the way. Hall runs behind him for 16.
However, he never got a chance to finish his campaign because of a scary blood clot situation.
On December 7 the Jets placed Mitchell on the NFI (non-football-injury list). The team didn’t provide many details on the reason for his placement on that list.
Rich Cimini of ESPN spoke with Max’s father and revealed that Mitchell was discovered to have “blood clots in his right calf and lung.”
It all stems from a “hereditary blood-clotting condition called factor V Leiden” John Mitchell told Cimini on December 8.
While it took him out for the rest of the Jets season in 2022 the good news is Mitchell was placed on a blood-thinning medication and was expected to make a full recovery.
Mitchell Returned to Practice This Spring for Jets
Fast forward to the Jets beginning their offseason workout programs this spring and Mitchell had returned to the football field.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said on May 23, “Also notable: Max Mitchell is practicing.”
Also notable: Max Mitchell is practicing. Was shut down last year with a blood-clotting condition. Showed some promise as a rookie. #Jets
Dan Leberfield of “Jets Confidential Magazine” shared a seven-second clip on Twitter on May 23 of Mitchell warming up on the Jets practice field.
Amazing to see both Alijah Vera-Tucker & Max Mitchell out there to start off OTA’s
Excellent sign for the OL! 💪🔥
The 23-year-old went from probably not playing as a rookie to being shoved into the spotlight as a starter to having his football career ripped away from him.
Now heading into 2023 he has a legitimate shot at being a day one starter of his own volition not because of potential injuries to other players.
Rosenblatt joined me on “The Boy Green Show” on June 13 and said that Mitchell and Billy Turner shouldn’t be forgotten about in the right tackle competition with Becton during training camp.
Comments
Jets Youngster Has Had ‘Strong Offseason,’ Surprise Standout: Insider