Offensive Linemen on the Roster (GP/GS in 2021)
T Mekhi Becton (1/1), G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (8/7), T Chuma Edoga (4/0), T George Fant (15/15), OL Dan Feeney (16/5), OL Parker Ferguson (0/0), OL Grant Hermanns (0/0), T Conor McDermott (6/3), C Connor McGovern (15/15), T Morgan Moses (17/16), OL Ross Pierschbacher (0/0), OL Dru Samia (0/0), OL Greg Senat (0/0), G Greg Van Roten (17/10), G Alijah Vera-Tucker (16/16), OL Isaiah Williams (4/0)
*Potential Free Agents *
Unrestricted: Moses, Duvernay-Tardif, Feeney, McDermott, Senat
Re-Signed Free Agent
Conor McDermott re-signed on one year deal
Jets' OL Free Agency Picture
It was a second season of continuity interrupted, as the line lost LT Mekhi Becton to injury in the opener, switched RGs at midseason, and worked through four starters missing games due to injuries or COVID in the season's final month. But there was also progress, most noticeably in the rushing attack, where the Jets went from 76.3 yards/game and 3.6 yards/carry in the first nine games to 122.5 yards/game and 5.2 yards/carry in the last eight. Pass pro struggled throughout, in large part in the second half because QB Zach Wilson and the offense were coping late with multiple injures especially at WR and TE.
"I think our offensive line is in a better place now. If you ask me, I'm always going to say we can be better on the offensive line. But I thought we had a group of guys that battled their butts off this year. We have a lot of versatility in that group, a lot of good people, great guys, great professionals, and guys that have been forced to move to different positions in-season, in-game. So their flexibility, their versatility has really been a great tool for us moving forward."
Douglas may have to replace some of those tools since RT starter Morgan Moses and second-half RG starter Laurent Duvernay-Tardif can become unrestricted free agents. But T George Fant, C Connor McGovern and hopefully Becton at full strength return and there are some enticing candidates at the top of free agency if the Jets wish to augment or need to replace O-linemen from the '21 campaign.
Free Agent OL Candidates
LG Laken Tomlinson (6-3, 315), San Francisco
The Jamaica-born Tomlinson, well-known to Jets HC Robert Saleh since they were 49ers teammates from 2017-20, has built a solid career as San Francisco's LG after spending his first two pro seasons with Detroit. He hasn't missed a start in four years, was the Niners OL's Bobb McKittrick Award winner for the third time in those four years, and played in his first Pro Bowl this past season, as the NFC's RG starter. He's a burly run-blocker and had the best of his seven pro seasons in pass-blocking, yielding just one sack.
RT Trenton Brown (6-8, 380), New England
Brown also has some experience with Saleh, having started his NFL career with San Fran in 2015 and playing his last year there in 2017 when Saleh arrived as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. Then Brown went traveling, playing for New England in '18, the Raiders in Oakland in '19 and Las Vegas in '20, then back to the Patriots as their RT last year. He's a massive man who has missed 25 of 49 games from 2019-21 but is sharp when he's on the field, rarely getting penalized or giving up a sack those past three seasons.
LG Andrew Norwell (6-6, 325), Jacksonville
Norwell along with Robinson made up the left side of QB Trevor Lawrence's first NFL blocking unit with the Jaguars last year. He brought his Nick Mangold interior lineman beard with him to Carolina as an undrafted lineman of Ohio State. After four seasons with the Panthers, he spent the past four with the Jags. In four of his past six seasons he's played more than 1,000 offensive snaps, including last year when he had 17 starts. He could be available if the Jags decide to rebuild their O-line for Lawrence's second year at the controls.
There are plenty of other under the radar signings that could take place, discussions that involve Bears James Daniels, Ravens Bradley Bozeman, Chargers Scott Quessenberry are all possible candidates at the lower to mid level contract tiers. Connections are good but this scheme is being built on the talents or fits of players that the coaching staff has predicted for each position to build out the roster.
Jets Global
T Mekhi Becton (1/1), G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (8/7), T Chuma Edoga (4/0), T George Fant (15/15), OL Dan Feeney (16/5), OL Parker Ferguson (0/0), OL Grant Hermanns (0/0), T Conor McDermott (6/3), C Connor McGovern (15/15), T Morgan Moses (17/16), OL Ross Pierschbacher (0/0), OL Dru Samia (0/0), OL Greg Senat (0/0), G Greg Van Roten (17/10), G Alijah Vera-Tucker (16/16), OL Isaiah Williams (4/0)
*Potential Free Agents *
Unrestricted: Moses, Duvernay-Tardif, Feeney, McDermott, Senat
Re-Signed Free Agent
Conor McDermott re-signed on one year deal
Jets' OL Free Agency Picture
It was a second season of continuity interrupted, as the line lost LT Mekhi Becton to injury in the opener, switched RGs at midseason, and worked through four starters missing games due to injuries or COVID in the season's final month. But there was also progress, most noticeably in the rushing attack, where the Jets went from 76.3 yards/game and 3.6 yards/carry in the first nine games to 122.5 yards/game and 5.2 yards/carry in the last eight. Pass pro struggled throughout, in large part in the second half because QB Zach Wilson and the offense were coping late with multiple injures especially at WR and TE.
"I think our offensive line is in a better place now. If you ask me, I'm always going to say we can be better on the offensive line. But I thought we had a group of guys that battled their butts off this year. We have a lot of versatility in that group, a lot of good people, great guys, great professionals, and guys that have been forced to move to different positions in-season, in-game. So their flexibility, their versatility has really been a great tool for us moving forward."
Douglas may have to replace some of those tools since RT starter Morgan Moses and second-half RG starter Laurent Duvernay-Tardif can become unrestricted free agents. But T George Fant, C Connor McGovern and hopefully Becton at full strength return and there are some enticing candidates at the top of free agency if the Jets wish to augment or need to replace O-linemen from the '21 campaign.
Free Agent OL Candidates
LG Laken Tomlinson (6-3, 315), San Francisco
The Jamaica-born Tomlinson, well-known to Jets HC Robert Saleh since they were 49ers teammates from 2017-20, has built a solid career as San Francisco's LG after spending his first two pro seasons with Detroit. He hasn't missed a start in four years, was the Niners OL's Bobb McKittrick Award winner for the third time in those four years, and played in his first Pro Bowl this past season, as the NFC's RG starter. He's a burly run-blocker and had the best of his seven pro seasons in pass-blocking, yielding just one sack.
RT Trenton Brown (6-8, 380), New England
Brown also has some experience with Saleh, having started his NFL career with San Fran in 2015 and playing his last year there in 2017 when Saleh arrived as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. Then Brown went traveling, playing for New England in '18, the Raiders in Oakland in '19 and Las Vegas in '20, then back to the Patriots as their RT last year. He's a massive man who has missed 25 of 49 games from 2019-21 but is sharp when he's on the field, rarely getting penalized or giving up a sack those past three seasons.
LG Andrew Norwell (6-6, 325), Jacksonville
Norwell along with Robinson made up the left side of QB Trevor Lawrence's first NFL blocking unit with the Jaguars last year. He brought his Nick Mangold interior lineman beard with him to Carolina as an undrafted lineman of Ohio State. After four seasons with the Panthers, he spent the past four with the Jags. In four of his past six seasons he's played more than 1,000 offensive snaps, including last year when he had 17 starts. He could be available if the Jags decide to rebuild their O-line for Lawrence's second year at the controls.
There are plenty of other under the radar signings that could take place, discussions that involve Bears James Daniels, Ravens Bradley Bozeman, Chargers Scott Quessenberry are all possible candidates at the lower to mid level contract tiers. Connections are good but this scheme is being built on the talents or fits of players that the coaching staff has predicted for each position to build out the roster.
Jets Global