After Sunday’s 32-25 victory over the Jaguars, Aaron Rodgers went out of his method to reward one group of Jets.
“I wish to say another time, the offensive line had an impressive recreation, and I had all day to throw,” Rodgers mentioned. “Huge shout out to the large boys. I’m going to like them up on the bus.”
It was simple to miss the job the Jets offensive line did after the fireworks offered by Rodgers and Davante Adams within the second half.
However Rodgers was proper.
The road did give him all day to throw.
He solely confronted six pressures and was sacked as soon as by a Jaguars protection that has two good edge rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.
In a season the place not a lot has gone proper for the Jets, the offensive line has change into a shiny spot.
Former basic supervisor Joe Douglas struggled to repair the offensive line throughout his time with the staff, partly from personnel errors like drafting Mekhi Becton or signing Laken Tomlinson in free company and partly from dangerous damage luck.
However it appears like Douglas bought the road proper in his final strive at it and it could be his parting reward to the Jets.
The Jets have 4 offensive linemen who needs to be again subsequent 12 months and one free agent who additionally could return.
Left sort out Olu Fashanu, left guard John Simpson, middle Joe Tippmann and proper guard Alijah Vera-Tucker are all beneath contract for subsequent 12 months.
Proper sort out Morgan Moses is a free agent, however he may very well be re-signed.
The Jets might have some constructing blocks for years with younger gamers in Fashanu (22), Tippmann (23) and Vera-Tucker (25).
Simpson isn’t that a lot older at 27 years previous.
One key for the Jets this season has been continuity.
In contrast to final 12 months when the Jets had 13 completely different offensive line mixtures, they’ve solely had 4 this season.
Simpson and Tippmann have began each recreation.
They misplaced left sort out Tyron Smith to a neck damage, however Fashanu has been an improve since changing the veteran.
Douglas got down to repair the road within the offseason, signing Simpson, Smith and Moses and drafting Fashanu with the No. 11 general choose.
Smith was a disappointment however the different three gamers have all been robust additions.
“It’s an superior testomony to what the entrance workplace has performed and put collectively so far as roster concern,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich mentioned. “For these guys to have the chance to play collectively for an extended, very long time that’s the particular. Groups on this league which have that cohesion, that point on job for an offensive line perspective, for my part, it’s the offensive line and it’s the defensive secondary, when you will get these two teams collectively for an prolonged period of time and so they be taught one another on the highest degree, that’s the place championship degree soccer begins and ends.
“I feel Detroit is a good demonstration of what that’s speculated to seem like, their offensive line, clearly proficient and clearly they’ve invested so much into it, however they’ve had lots of time collectively now. So, it’s essential, you wish to win a championship, begin together with your offensive line.”
Fashanu, who was drafted out of Penn State, has seemed like he may very well be a cornerstone for the staff.
He threw a key block on Hines-Allen on Sunday when Rodgers linked with Adams for a 71-yard landing.
The rookie has impressed his teammates.
“He’s a stud,” Simpson mentioned of Fashanu. “He’s balling proper now. They drafted him within the first spherical to do precisely what he’s doing. He’s a man who got here in from Day 1, put his head down and went to work. He didn’t actually complain, by no means hear him complaining. He’s a man that’s keen to do no matter it takes to assist the staff. That’s all you possibly can ask from a man like that, for positive.”
