Jets’ Joe Douglas Has Left New York's Offensive Line in Shambles

This former NFL scout breaks down New York's situation on the offensive line as the Jets wrap up this season, missing the playoffs again.

The Jets offensive line is limping to the finish line as the 2022 season comes to an end.

Out for the season finale against Miami are right guard Nate Herbig and offensive tackles Duane Brown and George Fant.

Poetically, the season is ending with New York's offensive line in shambles, because that's exactly the way team General Manager Joe Douglas built it.

But what about all the injuries?

Sure, they didn’t help, but that built-in excuse isn’t going to fly much longer.

What does anybody expect to happen after Douglas only spent 4/26 selections on offensive linemen in his first three drafts?

The blueprint for the offensive line was like Humpty Dumpty to begin with.

An offensive line to a football team is akin to an engine in a vehicle. Without it, the whole thing doesn't run.

Douglas could probably attest to this after finishing up his fourth-straight losing season as the captain sitting in the Jets' cockpit.

Sure, he's built an all-star cast of skill position players, minus the quarterback. However, none of this matters without the big men up front.

A team can have all the Garrett Wilson's, Breece Hall's and Ahmad Gardner's it wants, but without the blockers up front, it will all be for not. Guaranteed.

It can’t be as bad as I’m making it sound.

Actually, the picture I am painting with words is worse than the offensive lines Douglas has built, that has surrendered the third-most sacks (190) in the league since he took over.

It's even worse news than the barrage of injuries sustained by the offensive line this past season.

What in the world am I talking about?

I'm talking about the financial mess Douglas has created in the trenches.

Most of the Jets' offensive linemen's contracts are up, when the final gun sounds today in Miami.

Out of New York's 18 offensive linemen who were under contract with the team in 2022, 13 of their contracts are set to expire.

George Fant (OT), Mike Remmers (OT), Cedric Ogbuehi (OT), Greg Senat (OT), Adam Pankey (OT), Sam Schlueter (OT), Dan Feeney (OG), Nate Herbig (OG), Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (OG), Dru Samia (OG), Chris Glaser (OG), Eric Smith (OG) and Connor McGovern are all free agents.

Even at 2022 market price, these 18 salaries totaled $26,035,833 (spotrac.com).

New York currently has $15,877,943 of projected cap space in 2023.

That's a deficit of $10,157,890. That's even if Douglas could bring them all back at the exact same deals next season and that's only to field an offensive line that's given up the 11th most sacks in the NFL in 2022 (42).

New York, we have a problem.

Stop and think about this for a moment.

The only five offensive linemen Douglas has under contract for 2023 are:

Max Mitchell (non-football injury list)

Mekhi Becton (injured reserve)

Alijah Vera-Tucker (injured reserve)

Duane Brown (injured reserve)

Laken Tomlinson

If you don't believe me, click on this link and look for any other names than the five I just listed.

The least of the concerns, who will be the quarterback next season.

While there are ways to manipulate the salary cap to a degree, it's gotten to the point that New York must spend most (if not all) of their 2023 draft picks on offensive linemen if they have any hopes whatsoever of even fielding a competitive team going forward.

Free agency is out, it will be too pricey.

We're not even talking about all the other key free agents on the Jets: Mike White (QB), Chris Streveler (QB), Joe Flacco (QB), Sheldon Rankins (DT), Solomon Thomas (DE), Vinny Curry (DE), Nathan Shepherd (DE), Bryce Huff (DE), Kwon Alexander (LB), Quincy Williams (LB), LaMarcus Joyner (FS) and Greg Zuerlein (K).

It's time to have an open dialogue about this. 

MORE:

• Grading Joe Douglas' Performance as General Manager of Jets
• Who Will Be in Jets' Quarterback Room in 2023?
• Jets React to Missing Playoffs, 'Disappointing' Performance vs. Seahawks

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