'The Bash Brothers': NFL Insider Weighs in on Jets' New Dynamic Duo on Offensive Line
It's always a challenge to predict the future in the National Football League, but it sure looks like the Jets are set on the left side of their offensive line for years to come.
After trading up to draft Alijah Vera-Tucker in the first round of this year's draft, a guard poised to line up next to second-year left tackle Mekhi Becton, New York has the makings of one of the best young tandems up front in all of football.
So, what's the best way to describe the pair that's poised to protect Zach Wilson's blind side for the foreseeable future? One NFL insider already has a name for the dynamic duo.
The Bash Brothers.
"I think that these two guys have a chance to be the bash brothers for a long time with the Jets and have fun physically just mauling people," NFL Network's Brian Baldinger told Jets Country in a phone interview this week.
Baldinger compared the Jets' decision in drafting Vera-Tucker to New York's haul back in 2006, selecting both D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold in the first round.
Those two lined up together on the offensive line for the next 10 seasons. With a "nasty disposition," Baldinger believes we could see the same progression, stability and dominance up front from Becton and Vera-Tucker.
"I think the Jets are set for a decade," Baldinger said. "It's hard to project a decade in the NFL because of injuries and contracts and whatnot, but I feel like they've got themselves set on that side of the line of scrimmage, and that's the backside of their quarterback here. So, I like what Joe Douglas is doing right now."
Douglas, New York's general manager, has made it clear since stepping in a few years ago that he's planning to build this team back to contention through the draft and starting with the offensive and defensive lines.
It's been a busy offseason on the defensive side up front. While Vera-Tucker is the only starting offensive lineman Gang Green brought in over the last few months, it was an addition that bolstered this roster with a second behemoth.
While Becton's rookie season was a spectacle full of promise, Baldinger explained that we haven't come anywhere close to seeing what exactly the tackle is capable of in this league.
"I think that the more he understands how to play the game, down, distance, situation and the opponent, the more tools he's able to put in his toolbox, the more dominant he can become," he said. "I think he's just getting started."
Jets Have 'Dominant' Duo Up Front in Alijah Vera-Tucker, Mekhi Becton
Vera-Tucker hasn't lined up for an NFL snap just yet, but its his versatility at USC and his track record on the line of scrimmage that should translate seamlessly to the next level.
"He can move people, he's got a good base, he's got great size and I think he's got the right temperament," Baldinger said. "He played left tackle and left guard at a high level. You can only do that if you have the requisite skills, athletic ability, the length of arms, all that kind of stuff, which he does."
When he's not breaking down film, Baldinger is busy preparing for the upcoming NFL season as well as getting a jump start on his 2022 NFL Draft preparation. He's also working with CoachTube.com, a portal that provides coaching courses for a variety of sports.
With several football coaching and evaluation videos on CoachTube, Baldinger finds himself learning more about the game he loves on a daily basis.
"Everybody sees it differently, coaches it differently," Baldinger said. "So it's really a way for any fan, at any level, to really get a better understanding of the game. And I think that it can be a complicated game, but there are certain people that really can explain it well and put it in simple terms without getting carried away with a lot of terminology and stuff like that."
MORE:
- Positions For Jets to Target With Cap Room
- Jets Adding Ronald Blair Fuels Already Stout Defensive Line
- Was the Jets' Draft Trade for Alijah Vera-Tucker Worth It?
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