Jets have greatly improved offensive line to protect Aaron Rodgers
Jets offensive tackle Tyron Smith, left, jogs during training camp on Aug. 6 in Florham Park, N.J. Credit: Corey Sipkin
Aaron Rodgers wore a headset Saturday night for what the Jets hope is the last time.
The Jets didn’t play their starters or key backups in their 10-6 win over the Giants in both teams’ preseason finale at MetLife Stadium. The next time Rodgers takes the field will be Sept. 9 in San Francisco, which is also the first time the Jets will take their revamped offensive line out for a spin.
Of all the changes and improvements the Jets made, the biggest one is up front.
The Jets’ championship dreams start with keeping Rodgers healthy. He tore his left Achilles tendon four snaps into last season when left tackle Duane Brown’s failed cut block led to a sack by Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd.
The Jets’ offensive line looks very different now. Right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is the only 2023 Week 1 starter projected to start against the 49ers.
Center Joe Tippmann ended his rookie season as the starting center and will man the spot this year. The new faces are left tackle Tyron Smith, left guard John Simpson and right tackle Morgan Moses.
Smith and Moses are significant additions who are making an impact on and off the field.
“They’re old souls,” Robert Saleh said. “They got coached by Bill Callahan, who’s as hard a football coach on his guys that there is in football from an O-line perspective. They’re here. They embrace the difficulty. They embrace the strain. They embrace the hardship of the workload.
“Because they’re embracing it, the younger guys are recognizing it and adopting that. Because of the way they go about their business, I don’t want to call it old-school mentality, but it’s the right mentality to prepare yourself to play football. They do it with a smile on their face and have this desire to do more.”
Smith still might be the NFL’s best left tackle at 33. The former Cowboy missed 37 games in the last four seasons, so the Jets limited him in camp, but he still got in his work.
Moses, 33, has been durable. In the last nine seasons, he missed only three games, all of them last year after suffering a pectoral tear. Moses, in his second go-round with the Jets, had it repaired after the season. He was on a snap count, too, but he’s ready to go.
The plan is to keep the versatile Vera-Tucker, who is returning from an Achilles tendon tear, at right guard all season. First-round pick Olu Fashanu will be the Jets’ swing tackle in case of emergency. They’re very comfortable with him stepping in and filling either spot.
“He’s been very steady,” Rodgers said. “There’s not a lot of plays where he seems out of position or lunging.”
Fashanu has been like a sponge, soaking up all of Smith’s and Moses’ advice. The two have been selfless in that way, going out of their way to help the Jets’ young linemen with tips or technique.
“You see them after practice every day grabbing some of these younger guys and they’re putting in more work,” Saleh said. “The elite people in this world always want more. They don’t cut corners. They don’t ask for less. They want more and they’ll do whatever they have to do to get more.”
New blood was needed on the offensive line. The revolving door because of injury last season contributed to the Jets’ offensive failures.
The Jets started 13 different O-line combinations and had 10 players on the field for more than 200 snaps. Jets quarterbacks were sacked 64 times, fourth-most in the NFL. Rodgers’ quick release should mitigate that, but he also has a stronger, closer group protecting him.
Tight end Tyler Conklin referenced “the cohesion” of the O-line multiple times. Smith said the chemistry of this group has “grown pretty quick.”
“We’re kind of a close group so far,” Smith said. “It’s the fact that we’re staying together every single day and trying to get better.”
That’s giving the Jets more optimism as the season nears.
“I really love where our O-line is at,” Saleh said. “Seeing things off the field that we haven’t seen in three years, just talking about the connection they have to one another. It’s starting to feel authentic. It’s feeling like, it’s something I can’t explain to you guys.
“It’s just a different feeling with that group than it’s been over the last three years.”
Final tuneup
Second-year running back Izzy Abanikanda, who is on the roster bubble, helped himself Saturday. Abanikanda had a 45-yard touchdown run and rushed for 83 yards on nine carries. He’s fourth on the depth chart. Teams have to cut rosters to 53 by Tuesday.
Takk McKinley continued his strong play from camp and had 2.5 sacks. Defensive linemen Braiden McGregor (two sacks) and Leonard Taylor III (1.5 sacks) made their case to stick . . . Offensive lineman Xavier Newman (shoulder) and tight end Kenny Yeboah (groin) got hurt and did not return.
Personnel moves
The Jets named Jon Carr and Greg Nejmah co-directors of player personnel, Dan Zbokovsky senior director of football operations, Jay Mandolesi director of college scouting and Nick Sabella senior director of football administration.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
