ORLANDO, Fla. — Priority No. 1 for the Jets this offseason was a makeover of their offensive line.
That was clear to anyone who watched the offense struggle in 2023 as the Jets went through 13 different starting combinations up front.
General manager Joe Douglas addressed the line in the first week of free agency by signing left tackle Tyron Smith and left guard John Simpson and trading for right tackle Morgan Moses.
Douglas reflected on those moves this week at the NFL owners meetings.
“I think the primary objective of the offseason was fortifying the offensive line,” Douglas said. “That was goal one. I feel good about what we were able to accomplish there and a few of the other objectives leading into the offseason. But [there’s] still a lot ahead.”
The Jets added talent. Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler who should be in Canton someday.
The Jets know Moses from his stint with the team in 2021 and he has played well for the Ravens over the last two years. Simpson emerged as a reliable starter in Baltimore a year ago.
But there are age and injury questions. Smith and Moses are both 33 years old.
Smith has played 30 games over the past four years and did not practice at all last season as Dallas tried to get him through the season.
Moses had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle after the Ravens season ended in the playoffs.
Alijah Vera-Tucker, one of the returning members of the offensive line, is recovering from October surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.
Smith’s contract is heavy with incentives based on playing time.
His base salary is $6.5 million and that can rise to $20 million with the incentives.
The contract for receiver Mike Williams, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is also heavy on incentives.
That will protect the Jets financially if these players can’t play but it won’t help them on the field if these players who have dealt with injuries in recent years get hurt again in 2024.
“We weigh all that in when we make a decision like that,” Douglas said. “A lot of the contracts are structured in a way where if the player’s on the field and he’s performing, he’s going to be well compensated. I think we’ve structured quite a few of these contracts [in a way] that it’s highly beneficial for the player if they’re performing at a high level.”
It feels like every sentence about the Jets’ 2024 expectations will be punctuated with, “if they stay healthy.” The offensive line is at the center of that.
“You know if those guys can stay on the field, they’re pretty dynamic,” coach Robert Saleh said. “That’s always going to be the trick, regardless of the players you bring in. Aaron Rodgers has been healthy his entire career. Four plays in, he goes down. You never know when it’s going to happen. You do your best to keep them healthy and you do your best to build the depth around them.”
The moves the Jets have made on the line won’t stop them from selecting a tackle at No. 10 in next month’s NFL draft.
With Smith and Moses both on one-year deals at 33 years old, the Jets would be wise to invest behind them, even if that means the No. 10 overall pick is not a Day 1 starter.
“I think this is an unbelievable O-line class,” Douglas said. “It’s an unbelievable class at quite a few positions. I think where we’re at now, we have great flexibility to go in any direction that is best for us moving forward. I think it opens the door to a lot of possibilities at 10.”
With the new guys aboard, that means Joe Tippmann will be the starting center and Vera-Tucker can play right guard and not move this year like he has the last two years.
The Jets felt that Vera-Tucker switching positions contributed to his season-ending injuries the last two years. He is expected back for Week 1 this year.
“Our goal is to do everything we can to try to keep him healthy,” Saleh said. “Our goal is to keep him at one position. As of now, it’s at right guard. The goal is to keep him there the entire season.”
The Jets re-signed DL Jalyn Holmes on Tuesday. Holmes had five tackles and one sack in five games last season.
