Tag: Alex Lewis

Mekhi Becton confident Jets offensive line won’t have an issue with chemistry

Mekhi Becton believes the Jets offensive line will have good chemistry in 2020.

Despite not being able to practice in-person until training camp, Mekhi Becton is confident the Jets offensive line can click right away.

Becton, drafted 11th overall this past April, will be part of an offensive line that could feature five new starters compared to a season ago. Chemistry was an issue for the Jets in the trenches last year, so there’s some concern over that again entering 2020 with all the new faces and lack of time spent together.

Becton, however, doesn’ sound worried.

“We’re a bunch of goofy guys from what I can tell from just the vets talking, so I know when once I get comfortable and have a chance to talk to them I’m going to be goofy with them,” Becton told the Jets’ website. “I feel like we’re going to have a lot of good chemistry. We’re going to ball really good.”

It’s going to be a challenge for the Jets offensive line to build that strong chemistry, especially with all the time missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Becton, however, feels what the Jets have learned in the virtual offseason program should be enough to have the offensive line in sync by the start of the regular season.

Becton is expected to be the lone rookie on the offensive line at left tackle. Connor McGovern is penciled in as the starting center while Alex Lewis, Greg Van Roten, Brian Winters and Josh Andrews will all battle for two guard spots. At right tackle, it will be a competition between Chuma Edoga and George Fant.

Becton and the rest of the offensive line are going to have a ton of pressure on them to keep Sam Darnold upright this season. So Becton better hope the chemistry is strong right from the start of training camp through the end of the season.

Larry Warford is a no-brainer for Joe Douglas, Jets

The Jets Wire makes the case for the Jets making a pursuit after free agent right guard Larry Warford, who was just released by the Saints.

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?

Alex Lewis predicts Jets will have a ‘pretty sweet unit’ up front

Jets guard Alex Lewis believes the offensive line will put together a sweet unit.

Returning Jets guard Alex Lewis has the utmost confidence in the offensive line Joe Douglas assembled this offseason.

Lewis was one of five offensive linemen signed by New York this offseason. After having one of the worst offensive lines in football in 2019, Lewis is looking forward to gelling with his new teammates in the trenches.

“I’m fired up for my new linemates,” Lewis said Friday. “To get the signings we did, we’re going to put a pretty sweet unit together.”

There is reason to believe that the Jets offensive line will improve in 2020. While the offensive linemen the Jets did sign aren’t household names, they’re solid under the radar players.

Connor McGovern is great in pass protection, as is Greg Van Roten. George Fant, meanwhile, brings plenty of athleticism. Most importantly though, the Jets signed players who are flexible and don’t commit a lot of penalties, especially McGovern and Van Roten.

It’s not all fine and dandy, however. The Jets still have question marks at both tackle positions. Edoga or Fant will likely get one of the starting jobs, but both are inexperienced. With that in mind, there’s a strong chance the Jets take one of the top tackles in the draft with the 11th pick if any are available.

The biggest thing for this unit is building chemistry. Last year’s offensive line had none whatsoever and it showed as the year went on. So if the line can have the chemistry it needs, then there’s a chance this could be a pretty sweet unit.

We’ll just have to wait and see if Lewis is right.

Joe Douglas: There’s a ‘shortage of quality offensive linemen in the NFL’

Joe Douglas thinks there’s a shortage of quality offensive lineman in the NFL.

Joe Douglas has dipped his feet into the pool of offensive linemen this offseason, but he doesn’t think the water is deep enough for a headfirst dive.

In other words, he believes the pickings are slim when it comes to building a solid unit up front. And the Jets general manager isn’t just talking about the free agent linemen that were available to him this spring. He’s talking about the entire league.

“I think there’s a real shortage of quality offensive linemen in the NFL, so we’re going to do our best to get as many quality ones as we can because you can never have too many,” Douglas said on a conference call Wednesday.

Douglas, a former offensive lineman at Richmond, has put New York’s offensive line above all else this offseason, although his hesitancy to spend big money still has some skeptical of Gang Green’s ability in the trenches. That’s why there’s a good chance Douglas takes a tackle early in the draft later this month.

In free agency so far, Douglas’ has signed three guards in Alex Lewis, Greg Van Roten and Josh Andrews, as well as one tackle in George Fant and one center in Connor McGovern. Douglas, however, promised Sam Darnold’s parents he would get the quarterback quality protection, so don’t be surprised if Douglas continues to build the line in the draft. Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton and Andrew Thomas are the four best tackles in this class, but it’s too early to tell if any of them will be available when the Jets pick at No. 11.

If Douglas doesn’t get a shot at any of them, then he can always grab a receiver for Darnold in a draft that is deep at the position. However, it’s clear Douglas’ focus is on protection, so expect him to take a lineman early, if not with his first pick as Jets general manager.

Joe Douglas’ offensive line signings have plenty in common

Jets Wire examines Joe Douglas’ offensive line signings and why they are sending a clear message early on in free agency.

It looks like the days of splurging on skill position players and ignoring the offensive line in free agency are over at One Jets Drive.

With Mike Maccagnan running the show, the Jets frequently broke the bank on big-name free agents like Darrelle Revis, Trumaine Johnson, C.J. Mosley and numerous others. Macccagnan all but ignored the offensive line. Any signings he did make usually struggled. Maccagnan and his front office staff relied mostly on the draft to address New York’s offensive line, but failed miserably at landing impact players more often than not.

Only one week into his first free agency on the job, Joe Douglas has established that things are going to be different from now on. Five of Douglas’ nine signings have been offensive linemen. He has spent a combined $72.9 million to fix a unit that was arguably Gang Green’s worst last season. (Contract details have yet to become public for Greg Van Roten and Josh Andrews.)

Not only has Douglas spent as much money to makeover an entire unit as Maccagnan would have on one player, but he has gone about it in a way that affords him a great deal of financial freedom. George Fant, Alex Lewis, Connor McGovern and Van Roten have all received three-year contracts. It remains to be seen exactly how Van Roten’s deal is structured and what exactly the length of Andrews’ deal, but Douglas’ three-year approach allows him to part ways with players on his new-look line if he does not like what he sees out of them in a way that will not hamstring New York’s salary cap down the road.

Fant’s contract is essentially a one-year deal worth $8.9 million in guaranteed money. If he struggles in 2020, the Jets can cut him at no financial loss and go looking for a new starting tackle. Lewis is only getting $6 million in guaranteed money — a cheap deal for a player who figures to slot into the starting lineup at left guard. McGovern is getting the most guaranteed money out of the trio ($18 million), but that is not a number that will set the Jets back if they have no choice but to cut him at any point.

What makes Douglas’ approach to his offensive line rebuild even more impressive is the kind of players he is targeting. Douglas could have gone out and thrown money at some of the bigger names on the market, but has stuck to his guns and handed out deals to players who fit what he wants out of his line. It’s not a coincidence that McGovern has been called for only two penalties over 1,526 snaps at center and Van Roten has been flagged only four times at left guard over 1,800 snaps. Douglas went after guys that could block without being called for holding every other play — a problem that cost the Jets dearly in 2019.

Versatility has also been the name of the game for the four linemen Douglas has signed. Fant is athletic and can play either tackle position. Andrews, Lewis and Van Roten can play either guard position. McGovern is primarily a center but has experience playing both guard positions. This provides Adam Gase with a lot of ways to shuffle his line in the event of an injury to a starter or poor performance.

Douglas hit free agency with the intention of fixing New York’s offensive line and it’s safe to say he has gone about it in the correct manner. Sam Darnold needs blockers that can keep him upright. Andrews, Fant, Lewis, McGovern and Van Roten all profile as players who are capable of accomplishing that with consistency.

That’s certainly one heck of a way for Douglas to establish that he is up for the task of turning the Jets back into a contender.

Depth chart update: A look at the Jets’ new offensive line

Jets’ updated offensive line depth chart after the first wave of free agency includes George Fant and Connor McGovern.

With the first wave of free agency over, Joe Douglas has found value in the trenches.

The Jets came into the offseason needing to desperately improve one of the NFL’s weakest offensive lines. After missing out on Jack Conklin and Graham Glasgow, Douglas handed out three-year contracts to George Fant, Alex Lewis and Connor McGovern.

As of now, Fant is the left tackle, Lewis is the left guard, McGovern is the center, Brian Winters is the right guard and Chuma Edoga is the right tackle. The Jets don’t have much depth beyond the starting five on the offensive line, but Jonotthan Harrison and Ben Braden are still on the roster.

Kelvin Beachum, Ryan Kalil and Brent Qvale are unrestricted free agents, while Tom Compton and Brandon Shell have signed with San Francisco and Seattle, respectively. With the Jets currently strapped for bodies, the depth chart will certainly be updated as free agency continues.

It looks as if Lewis and McGovern are the only starters that the Jets can officially pencil in for Week 1. McGovern can always shift ]to right guard if needed, while Harrison or a potential rookie starts at the center position. However, that decision harps on whether New York elects to release Brian Winters or re-structure his contract.

The Jets could also look at former Vikings’ guard Josh Kline or 49ers’ guard Mike Person, who are both former starters that each received their walking papers this week. Former Carolina Panthers guard Greg Van Roten has also been linked to the Jets.

It shouldn’t be assumed that Fant will be the Week 1 starter at left tackle. Former Eagles All-Pro OT Jason Peters is on the open market and could be had on a one-year deal as a holdover and a good stopgap option for a year or two until the Jets build the rest of the offensive line and find his replacement. Peters has only missed three games out of the 32 in the last two years. Regardless of age, he is still an upper-tier offensive tackle in the league.

The Jets could also take one of the top four offensive tackles in the first round of April’s draft, whether it’s with the 11th pick or the team elects to trade up or back. Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Louisville’s Mekhi Becton or Georgia’s Andrew Thomas are all possibilities.

The Jets look to be high on Edoga even though he is a holdover from the previous regime. Either way, a mix of youth and steady-handed experience seems to be the Jets’ solution at tackle.

The current offensive line depth chart isn’t set in stone. Look for Douglas to keep making savvy moves that will benefit the Jets in the interior for the 2020 season and beyond as New York tries to protect its young quarterback.

49ers to sign ex-Jets OL Tom Compton to 1-year deal

The 49ers are expected to sign former Jets offensive lineman Tom Compton to a one-year deal.

The Jets will have to find a replacement for backup offensive lineman Tom Compton.

According to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, the 49ers are signing Compton to a one-year deal worth $3 million.

Compton joined the Jets on a one-year deal last offseason. He started the season out as a backup interior lineman. However, that changed when Brian Winters went down with season-ending shoulder surgery. Compton started five games in Winters’ place before ending the season on injured reserve.

With Compton gone, the Jets are going to need some help at guard. Alex Lewis and Winters have proven over their careers that they are vulnerable to getting injured, so some depth is definitely needed. Losing Compton is not a significant loss, but the Jets are going to have to find a decent guard to take his place.

Jets salary cap update: Where does New York stand following first wave of signings?

Jets Wire takes a look at Gang Green’s salary cap space after signing Connor McGovern, George Fant and Alex Lewis.

The Jets entered free agency with just over $50 million in salary cap space. How has Joe Douglas made use of those funds in the opening days of free agency? By handing out a combined $31.3 million in guaranteed money to three offensive linemen and bringing back a key defensive piece on the cheap.

In an effort to bulk up a line that struggled mightily in 2019, Douglas inked tackle George Fant and center Connor McGovern to contracts that combine for a total value of $54.3 million. New York also re-signed Alex Lewis to a three-year deal worth a total value of $18.6 million, pushing the total value of all three contracts combined to $72.9 million.

Douglas also got to work on shoring up the secondary, bringing back Brian Poole on a one-year deal worth only $5 million. Poole’s entire salary is guaranteed.

Fant’s contract is essentially a one-year deal worth $8.9 million in guaranteed money. The Jets can part ways with the 27-year-old at season’s end without costing themselves a penny if Douglas is not pleased with his performance. McGovern’s deal pays him $18 million in guaranteed money, while Lewis’ deal gives him $6 million in guaranteed money.

That leaves Douglas and the Jets with about $36 million in remaining salary cap space after officially releasing Trumaine Johnson on Wednesday. The Jets designated Johnson as a June 1 cut, which means they can spread his $12 million dead salary cap charge over the next two seasons. Johnson will be paid $4 million in 2020 and $8 million in 2021.

New York can continue to clear up salary cap space by parting ways with the likes of Darryl Roberts and Brian Winters, but it remains to be seen if Douglas will elect to send players packing in exchange for salary cap relief considering he still has a decent chunk of money left to spend.

How Douglas chooses to allocate his remaining funds moving forward is unclear, but one thing that is for certain is that the Jets still have enough cash to work with to take care of in-house free agent Robby Anderson and any other talent they find attractive on the open market.

Joe Douglas proving he’s prudent in first offseason as Jets GM

The Jets seemingly missed out on big names in the first few days of NFL free agency, but that isn’t a failure on Joe Douglas’ part.

The Jets figured to be major players during the first wave of free agency. But in his first full offseason as general manager, Joe Douglas has shown that he won’t make the same mistakes as his predecessors and spend wildly on big names. Instead, as the new league officially began Wednesday, it looks like Douglas is hoping to find value wherever he can rather than overpay.

While other teams scooped up top-tier cornerbacks, linebackers and offensive linemen for boatloads of money, the Jets appeared to strikeout. Jack Conklin, Dante Fowler, James Bradberry and Graham Glasglow were the most surprising names to see the Jets miss on.

A lot of these failures to sign appear to be price-related, though. While Mike Maccagnan handed out money like he was playing Monopoly, Douglas appears to have a number in his mind and is unwavering in his evaluation. Take a look at Conklin and Fowler, for instance. The Jets reportedly never exceeded the Browns’ offer of three years, $42 million, nor were they willing to give Fowler the three-year, $48 million deal he got from the Falcons. Teams simply have to shell out cash for the players they want. Douglas, however, seems to have his eye on value more than anything.

By looking at the transactions and contracts, it seems to be by design.

Douglas looks to be a prudent and frugal team builder. All of his deals thus far appear to be team-friendly and give him lots of flexibility after 2020. He gave a three-year, $27.3 million contract with $13.7 million guaranteed to George Fant, a raw but promising lineman. In reality, the contract is really only a one-year, $9.25 million deal – much more manageable if Fant doesn’t pan out. Brian Poole is coming back on a ridiculously low one-year, $5 million deal after grading as one of the best cornerbacks in the league in 2019 and lineman Alex Lews re-signed on a three-year, $18.6 million deal with only $6 million guaranteed.

The only free agent Douglas has given a lot of money to so far is center Connor McGovern, and for good reason. McGovern, who signed a three-year, $27 million contract with $18 million guaranteed, proved to be one of the best centers in the league thanks to his durability, production and lack of penalties. Douglas saw value in that and paid what was needed to bring McGovern into the fold.

It’s not a failure on Douglas’ part to be unwilling to chew up cap space on free agents. That’s how the Jets have gotten into the same spiral of destitute over the last decade. Just look at the Trumaine Johnson deal, which will cost the Jets money this season even though he won’t play for them. Douglas proved already he’s willing to lose out on marquee free agents and settle for mid-tier players on team-friendly contracts. Don’t forget, he also has a couple of early-round picks to use properly in next month’s draft.

We’re only a few days into free agency and the Jets still have over $41 million in cap space. That’s a win for a team that is still building and a general manager who likes to invest carefully.  

Jets re-sign guard Alex Lewis to 3-year deal

The Jets have re-signed guard Alex Lewis to a three-year deal worth $18.6 million with $6 million guaranteed.

The Jets have maintained some stability at left guard ]with one of their own.

The team has officially re-signed guard Alex Lewis. The deal is worth $18.6 million with $6 million guaranteed over three years, according to the Daily News’ Manish Mehta.

Lewis was acquired by the Jets in a trade with the Ravens last August in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He started the season as a backup before Kelechi Osemele went down with season-ending shoulder surgery.

In Osemele’s spot, Lewis started 12 games for the Jets and played fairly well. According to Pro Football Focus, Lewis played 764 snaps and only allowed two sacks, which was tied for 35th among all guards.

His problem lied with penalties. Lewis committed six penalties last season, which was tied for 16th in the league for guards. There were too many times last season when the Jets had big plays that were wiped away because of a Lewis penalty. The Jets offensive line did improve with Lewis, however.

Right now, left guard is Lewis’ job to lose heading into training camp in July, but don’t be surprised if the Jets bring in more competition via the draft and free agency.