Getty New York Jets rookie offensive tackle Olu Fashanu making his preseason debut.
The New York Jets are starting to put more on the plate of a talented rookie.
Head coach Robert Saleh revealed to the media on Monday, August 12 that Olu Fashanu got reps at right tackle during practice.
“So today was the first day that we put him somewhere else. We tried him on the right side today. We’ll do that for the next couple of weeks so he can get that balance between left and right,” Saleh explained.
The #Jets started to cross train first rounder Olu Fashanu at right tackle today at #JetsCamp, HC Robert Saleh revealed. He had previously been working exclusively at left tackle.
Say hello to OL6 aka your swing tackle for 2024.
🎥 @nyjets #JetUp CC @MattOLearyNY
Dane Brugler of The Athletic wrote in “The Beast” that Fashanu played “100%” of his college snaps at left tackle. “He is unproven at other offensive line positions (was also primarily a left tackle in high school),” Brugler added.
Fashanu was the No. 11 overall pick in the first round of April’s draft out of Penn State. This offseason he signed a four-year contract for $20.5 million.
Fashanu Is Learning From Star OL Tyron Smith
Early on in training camp, the Jets kept Fashanu exclusively at left tackle. They wanted to make him the primary backup to veteran offensive tackle Tyron Smith.
Smith, a longtime NFL offensive lineman, hasn’t been able to stay healthy throughout his career. The last time he played a full season was back in 2015.
However last season the Dallas Cowboys cracked a code of sorts with a unique customized plan to get Smith to play 13 games. That was the most amount of games he had appeared in since 2019.
The Cowboys shared their customized schedule for Smith from last season with the Jets this offseason. New York has been employing that plan this offseason which includes a series of veteran rest days and occasionally holding Smith out of team drill periods,
“I don’t know if it’s much of a secret but we are going to be smart with him. A lot of it is us protecting him from him. When he is out there, he is going to go 100 miles per hour. Hopefully we can continue to help him, the big key for him is to be healthy for what we hope is 20 games,” Saleh said.
The 20 games Saleh is referencing would be the required amount for the Jets to win the Super Bowl after playing a 17-game regular season and a handful of playoff games.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh explained that they have to protect veteran OT Tyron Smith from himself, ‘if he’s out there, he’s going to go 100 miles per hour.’
Saleh said they will be smart with him & they want to hopefully get him to play 20 games (path to a #SuperBowl).
🎥 @nyjets…
With Smith missing multiple games every season for the last eight years and him being 33, it seems inevitable that Fashanu will get on the field at some point in 2024.
Jets Are Making Sure They Maximize Their First-Round Draft Choice
The Jets’ initial plan had Fashanu just playing left tackle and someone else filling in behind Morgan Moses on the right side.
Most NFL teams have a traditional swing tackle as their sixth offensive lineman. That play would normally be responsible for filling in on the left or the right side depending on where the team needed him.
At first, it seemed like the Jets would buck that strategy by having a top reserve on the left side and a different top reserve on the right side.
However if the Jets employed that plan, they wouldn’t be maximizing their first-round draft choice from April.
Fashanu has a higher pedigree than any of the other players competing for backup spots at right tackle like Max Mitchell or Carter Warren, former mid-round draft choices.
With Fashanu learning both sides this offseason, it seems like he will be upgraded to the top swing tackle role. That would provide premium insurance for Aaron Rodgers’ protection just in case Moses or Smith can’t play a full campaign.
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Jets Are Teaching $20.5 Million Rookie New Position, Increasing Reps