Big additions on the New York Jets OLine have little time to adjust this COVID-19 offseason
This offseason, the New York Jets went through a major offseason personnel reshuffle, in particular on offense. Turns out it is a terrible offseason to try and assimilate new players given the consolidated NFL calendar.
Due to COVID-19, the NFL offseason has been reshuffled and the first time players are hitting the field will be during training camp. With no preseason games, the amount of time that players can have on the field, getting their timing down and in rhythm, has been severely cut back.
Factor in no preseason games this year and it makes an already crucial time for developing cohesion a major issue. Especially on the offensive line where the Jets will have four new starters as well as at the skill positions where the Jets added more bodies including Denzel Mims, a wide receiver taken in the second round of the NFL Draft.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do with our OLine and wide receivers developing that kind of chemistry we need,” Gase said.
“I really like this group of OLine, they’re great meetings – they’re competitive. They’re always trying to do things on their own to make sure that them and the quarterbacks are on the same page. These guys communicate a lot. With FaceTime and the Microsoft Meetings, these guys being able to communicate, especially during training camp, has been helpful for us because these guys talk through a lot of things.”
The lack of holdovers on offense last year is telling. The offensive line, with the exception of left guard Alex Lewis who was re-signed this offseason, were all jettisoned with three new starters signed in free agency and a first round pick used on left tackle Mekhi Becton.
A lack of talent on the line was telling last year, but the team as a whole also went through a rash of injuries.
Rewind to 2018 when the Jets were below the league average in games lost due to injury (70.1). Last year, however, they were a walking triage unit.
The Jets led the NFL with 160.1 games lost due to injury. That is a staggering number and over twice the number of games the team lost due to injury from the year before.
The offensive line was a patchwork for much of 2019. Some, like right guard Brian Winters, missed seven games to injury but he played nearly the entire year with a shoulder injury. Almost everyone was banged up or missed significant time.
This year, especially with the additions in free agency including right guard Greg Van Roten and right tackle George Fant, the Jets added some solid experience. They also have depth along the line, something lacking last year.
Now, it’s just a matter of getting everyone up to speed and on the same page after an offseason spent not on the field but in virtual meetings. The fact that the Jets signed proven veterans helps, Gase says, in terms of understanding the playbook and individual roles.
Only the aforementioned Becton, taken No. 11 overall in April’s NFL Draft, is without NFL experience.
“As of right now, we have experience there, we have some guys who have played some football in the league to where it is a lot of the same stuff they’ve done in the past, just different verbiage,” Gase said.
