Joe Douglas has done everything in his power to revamp the Jets’ offensive line this offseason, but there’s one more move he can make that would complete his overhaul.
He already re-signed Alex Lewis and added Greg Van Roten to give the Jets more depth at guard. Connor McGovern, meanwhile, was signed to play center. Douglas also solidified the tackle position by drafting Mekhi Becton with the Jets’ first-round pick and signing George Fant.
That leaves right guard as the only spot on the Jets’ retooled offensive line that hasn’t been solidified. So why not sign three-time Pro Bowler and new free agent Larry Warford to play the position?
The Jets are set to have an open competition for two guard positions, with the incumbent Brian Winters currently penciled in as the starter on the right side. Douglas has given Winters a fighting chance to be the Jets’ opening day starter at right guard, but the team can save $7.28 million by releasing the injury-plagued lineman before June 1. He played just nine games in 2019 due to a dislocated shoulder.
Lewis and Van Roten, meanwhile, are better suited to play left guard, their natural position. That’s where Warford comes into play. It’s rare that a player of his caliber becomes available on the open market, but New Orleans elected to make him a cap casualty in the final season of his contract due to the presence of the team’s first-round pick, Cesar Ruiz.
There’s no question that Douglas should make it a priority to sign Warford, but he won’t be alone in his pursuit. The Chicago Bears and Houston Texans are among teams that are interested in Warford’s services and the two offer a better shot at making the playoffs than the Jets do.
Warford is a special talent and had only missed four games in three seasons, so the Douglas should be willing to outspend the competition. The Jets currently have $18 million in cap space, per OverTheCap. That’s not including the dead money they will have after June 1 thanks to Trumaine Johnson’s release. Adding Warford would also mean cutting Winters, which would free up more money.
Warford would significantly improve the Jets’ pass-blocking for Sam Darnold, who was sacked on more than seven percent of dropbacks in 2019. He would also create room for Le’Veon Bell to run more patiently and freely while bringing a winning pedigree to New York.
Signing Warford would also make Lewis an odd man out of sorts. Van Roten signed a three-year deal to come back to his native New York and started 27 games over the last two seasons. He’s the safer bet to start at left guard than Lewis. With Lewis on the bench, the Jets would have more than capable depth, which is exactly what Douglas has been gunning for.
Adding Warford would mean five new starters for the Jets on the offensive line. Outside of New Orleans’s zone-run scheme, Warford’s play might dip just a bit, but he’s still a bully in the run game and one of the best players at his position when healthy. It’s a no-brainer pursuit for Gang Green, but are the Jets willing to undergo the financial reshuffling that would occur?