After the Minnesota Vikings released Pat Elflein, the former third-round pick was subject to waivers.
The Jets, who own the league’s top waiver priority with their 0-9 record, claimed Elflein on Monday. But, it wasn’t without competition. Elflein was a popular player on waivers, as the Jaguars, Washington, Bears, Dolphins and Ravens all tried to claim the former Vikings starter, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
For the Jets, it’s the first time in 2020 that being winless has played to their advantage. By having the waiver priority, the Jets were able to pick up a potential starter for their remaining seven games.
Now that Elflein’s back healthy, the Jets could consider auditioning him at either guard role to see if he’s part of the team’s future upfront. New York already knows what it has in both Alex Lewis and Greg Van Roten. Lewis has allowed the second-most pressures in the NFL among qualified guards, while Van Roten has settled in on the right side after a tough start to the season.
While Elflein isn’t an unknown commodity, he’s dealt with various injuries and never truly had a permanent home on the offensive line in Minnesota. With the Jets in evaluation mode for 2021 and beyond, Elflein has an opportunity to be a starter again.