A rebuilt and revamped offensive line for the New York Jets is coming along, with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett pleased at how the unit is doing.
The Jets offensive line overhaul, undertaken during the past two offseasons, now has the potential to be a solid unit. It is a line built to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a point that was underscored just four plays into last year when the Jets quarterback suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
The offensive line projects to be much improved and features veteran bookends at offensive tackle.
Hackett said that the coaching staff has gone back to the film from last year’s joint practice with the Carolina Panthers. The new look to the unit was eye-opening compared to a year ago.
“It’s amazing to see the different faces, the different people, so first and foremost, I give so much credit to Joe Douglas, Robert Saleh,” Hackett told reporters on Wednesday.
“We’ve had a lot of changes up there just from the people that we brought in, and they’ve been amazing additions. It starts with just the people that they are and the way that they practice, the way they push themselves, the way they work together, so I think that’s one of the best things you see.
“Then anytime you’re in a second year, everybody understands Coach [Keith] Carter, they understand me, they understand what we’re looking for. We can talk about the nuances, the details, and you see that in a lot of the game. We’ve had some different people playing in different spots and we haven’t skipped a beat. Like the guys just do such a great job working together and they enjoy playing together. I think that’s what you’re always looking for with that group upfront, those five.”
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The Jets will participate in a joint practice this week with the Carolina Panthers. These two teams will then play a preseason game on Saturday.