Tag: Jets Offensive Line

Sam Darnold jokes about past Jets offensive line: ”I have experience’ taking hits’

The Jets have made major upgrades to their offensive line after Sam Darnold was sacked 98 times in three seasons with the team.

Sam Darnold’s tenure with the Jets did not result in too many smiles or memorable moments, but New York’s former quarterback can reflect on his stint with the team with a sense of humor.

Now with the Panthers, Darnold fielded questions Thursday after Carolina’s joint practice with the Ravens. When asked if he needed to take a hit or two in preseason play to get back into the swing of game action, Darnold responded with a crack referring to his days playing behind the Jets’ offensive line.

“Obviously, I have experience with it in the past, ya know, the last few years,” Darnold said.

As the rapper J. Cole once said, “all good jokes contain true [stuff].”

Darnold is not exaggerating his experience playing behind a porous New York offensive line. The USC product was sacked 98 times in just three seasons with the Jets, frequently being flushed out of the pocket at the snap of the ball.

Joe Douglas has upgraded New York’s offensive line since dealing Darnold to the Panthers this past offseason. The Jets moved up nine spots in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft to select Alijah Vera-Tucker, giving Mekhi Becton a promising partner to work with on the left side of the offensive line. Douglas also signed veteran tackle Morgan Moses late in the offseason to start at right tackle, shifting George Fant back to the reserve swing tackle role he played throughout his career with the Seahawks.

Darnold did not have the benefit of playing behind a solid offensive line with the Jets and that largely contributed to his downfall with the organization that drafted him. Zach Wilson is already in better shape in that regard, although the Jets struggled to slow down the Packers’ pass rush in joint practices this week — albeit with Vera-Tucker sidelined due to injury.

When the Jets and the Panthers meet in Week 1 of the regular season, Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich could have plenty of blitzes dialed up and ready to throw in Darnold’s direction. Carolina’s offensive line will be put to the test if that happens, and Darnold will have the chance to see if history is going to repeat itself with his new team.

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Alijah Vera-Tucker impressing Jets OL coach early on

John Benton has yet to see Alijah Vera-Tucker in pads, but the Jets rookie has been able to “check every box” so far.

A crucial summer evaluation period awaits, but John Benton likes what he’s seen from Alijah Vera-Tucker so far.

Vera-Tucker, the 14th overall pick in the 2021 draft, impressed Benton, the Jets offensive line coach, during his first NFL OTAs and minicamp. Vera-Tucker did everything that he has supposed to, leaving Benton eager to see more in training camp and the preseason.

“Very positive, we don’t have pads on yet, so there’s a lot of boxes to be checked,” Benton said, via the Jets’ website. “But right now, he’s been able to check every box. He’s willing to learn the scheme. Impressive athletically, and he seems to fit right in with the guys. He’ll definitely be in the running, provided he passes the physical tests when we put the pads on. But all indications are good.”

If Vera-Tucker continues on this path, he’ll likely be the Jets’ starting left guard in Week 1 against the Panthers. He is competing with Alex Lewis, who was the Jets’ starting left guard last season, but Vera-Tucker is clearly the preferred choice after Joe Douglas traded up in the draft to get him.

The Jets traded the No. 23 overall pick and two third-round picks to draft Vera-Tucker 14th overall.

Vera-Tucker’s excellence in pass protection at USC was a big reason why they did that. He only allowed five sacks in his entire college career while recording a 91.6 pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus.

We’ll see if Vera-Tucker can translate his college success over to the NFL, but he has performed well in his short Jets tenure thus far.

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Willie Colon: Jets need to put Zach Wilson in a ‘car that can drive’

Former Jets offensive lineman Willie Colon emphasized how important it is to protect Zach Wilson if New York drafts him second overall.

Former Jets offensive lineman Willie Colon is not a fan of taking a quarterback high in the draft. But since the Jets appear to be heading in that direction with BYU’s Zach Wilson, Colon thinks they have to do everything they can to surround him with talent.

Colon was on SportsMapRadio’s “The Jake Asman Show” on Wednesday and said the Jets need to put Wilson in a “car that can drive” if they plan to draft him second overall. He added that the great teams are the ones that build from “within,” and that’s what Colon thinks the Jets need to do in regard to their offensive line.

“You got Becton on the left, having a quality right tackle really caps that line,” Colon said. “You can build, you can dig in and get some guards, get some scrappy yards because you need protection.”

Colon, who played for the Jets from 2013-2015, saw how much having no protection hurt Sam Darnold. Darnold was sacked 98 times in his three seasons with the Jets from 2018-2020. Not only did that lack of protection impact his performance, but it also led to injuries. Darnold missed three games as a rookie because of a foot strain and another three last year because of a shoulder injury.

The Jets can’t let that happen again if they draft another quarterback, whether it’s Wilson or someone else. Becton, Connor McGovern and George Fant are seemingly the only locks on the offensive line to return in 2021. Both Alex Lewis and Greg Van Roten could still be released if the Jets decide to go in that direction. Those five players didn’t prove much last season, though, giving up 43 sacks, which was ninth-most in the league.

Fortunately for the Jets, they have the draft capital to build the offensive line. They have another first-round pick at No. 23 overall, one second-round pick and two third-round picks. Joe Douglas is also an advocator of the offensive line and proved that by taking two linemen in the 2020 NFL draft.

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Bengals hire ex-Jets OL coach Frank Pollack

The Bengals have hired former Jets offensive line coach Frank Pollack to the same position.

A member of Adam Gase’s Jets staff has found a new job.

Frank Pollack, the Jets offensive line coach the last two seasons, was hired by the Cincinnati Bengals to the same position on Saturday. In addition to being Cincinnati’s offensive line coach, he will also be the run game coordinator.

Pollack served as the Jets’ offensive line coach for the last two seasons under Gase. Under Pollack’s direction, the Jets’ offensive line often looked porous.

In 2019, the Jets had the 31st ranked rushing attack, averaging just 78.6 yards per game on the ground. In pass protection, the Jets’ offensive line allowed 52 sacks, good for fourth-worst in the league.

This season the Jets offensive line played slightly better. The Jets improved in the running game, averaging 105.2 yards per game. New York’s rushing attacked ranked 23rd this year. In terms of sacks allowed, the Jets only gave up 43 sacks this season. They were 23rd in the league in that category.

Prior to joining the Jets in 2019, Pollack was Cincinnati’s offensive line coach in 2018. He’s also served as an offensive line coach for the Cowboys and Raiders.

Aaron Donald likes what he sees from Sam Darnold: ‘He’s a good quarterback’

Aaron Donald was very complimentary of Sam Darnold, calling him a ‘good quarterback.’

While Aaron Donald’s goal on Sunday is to get after Sam Darnold, he did have some kind words to say about the Jets’ quarterback in the week leading up to the game.

Donald acknowledged that Darnold and the 0-13 Jets are not playing their best football right now. However, Donald thinks Darnold has some characteristics that stand out on tape.

“Obviously, they’re not playing how they want to play, but I think he’s a good quarterback,” Donald said. “He’s really mobile. He can move, make things happen with his feet and get out of trouble. It looks like he’s strong. I’ve seen a couple times when it looked like he was about to get sacked, but he was able to break out and make something happen.”

When Darnold was asked about Donald on Thursday, he was just as complimentary of the Rams All-Pro defensive tackle.

“Yeah, Aaron Donald is a good player,” Darnold said with a laugh, per SNY. “He definitely pops out on tape, especially, it seems, whenever a play needs to be made, he’s there making it. It’ll be fun playing against him.”

Darnold’s idea of “fun” might be a little off. The quarterback is going to have his work cut out for him. Donald has put together another fantastic season, racking up 12.5 sacks and 24 QB hits. Those numbers tie his totals from last season when he was a first-team All-Pro for the fifth consecutive year. Donald is also a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and six-time Pro Bowler.

It will be on the Jets’ front five to protect Darnold from Donald at all costs. Look for double-teams against the Ram. Even then, that might not be enough to stop Donald in the trenches.

Tua Tagovailoa doubtful for Dolphins vs. Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick likely to start

The Dolphins are likely to be without Tua Tagovailoa against the Jets in Week 12.

The Dolphins will likely be without Tua Tagovailoa when they travel to MetLife Stadium to take on the Jets on Sunday afternoon.

Tagovailoa has been downgraded to doubtful for Miami’s Week 12 matchup after injuring his left thumb in practice on Wednesday, per NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo. With Tagovailoa unlikely to play, Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to start for the first time since the Dolphins defeated New York, 21-0, in Week 6. Fitzpatrick shined in that game, throwing for 191 yards and three touchdowns.

The Jets also made a pair of injury-related moves on Saturday, adding Jimmy Murray to the active roster and placing Patrick Onwuasor on injured reserve. New York is dealing with quite a few injuries along its offensive line, as Chuma Edoga (ankle) and George Fant (knee/ankle) are doubtful for Sunday’s game. Connor McDermott is expected to start at right tackle.

Murray has jumped back and forth between the Jets’ practice squad and active roster in 2020, appearing on New York’s gameday roster five times. However, Murray has yet to play in a game for the Jets this season.

Onwuasor was activated from injured reserve on Nov. 18 after suffering a non-contact knee injury in training camp. The veteran linebacker played only eight special teams snaps against the Chargers last weekend before injuring his hamstring.

Jets rookie Mekhi Becton backing up pre-draft confidence

Mekhi Becton is proving that he was the most dominant player in his draft class.

Mekhi Becton talked a big game at the NFL combine earlier this year. Now he’s backing it up.

Becton knew his game would translate to the NFL coming out of the University of Louisville. He made that assertion known in February when he said, “I feel like I’m the most dominant tackle in this draft.” The Jets ended up picking Becton 11th overall in April. Now, halfway through his first season, he’s showing that his pre-draft self-hype wasn’t wrong.

“If you go back to my (scouting) combine interview… I told them I was the most dominant player in the draft and I’m showing it today,” Becton said, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “I gotta keep showing it.”

What Becton has put on film through the first six NFL games has been cringeworthy — for opposing defenders. He is making some of the NFL’s best pass rushers look silly when they try to get past him. Becton has made a habit of putting them on the ground when they come near him.

One of Becton’s best plays on film came this past week against the Kansas City Chiefs. Frank Clark came at Becton off the edge. Becton put him on the grass with ease.

Overall, Becton has been the Jets’ best offensive lineman. He has been strong in pass protection, as he’s only given up three sacks this year. Running behind Becton, meanwhile, has been Gang Green’s best hope for advancing the ball on the ground.

When the Jets are running to Becton’s side, they’re averaging 5.59 yards per carry, which is seventh in the NFL in terms of running behind a particular lineman. When Becton hasn’t been at left tackle and the Jets run to the left side, they’re averaging just 4.80 yards per carry, only good for 20th in the league.

Becton is proving to the rest of the league that he was one of the most dominant players in this past year’s draft. If he continues to play this way, Becton could potentially be the best player out of the 2020 NFL draft. The sky is the limit for the Jets’ left tackle.

Adam Gase blown away by Mekhi Becton tossing Frank Clark: ‘It’s unusual’

Adam Gase was shocked when he saw Mekhi Becton throw Frank Clark to the ground.

Adam Gase’s eyes widened on Sunday when he saw what Mekhi Becton was doing to Chiefs defenders.

Gase gave glowing reviews of Becton’s performance against the Chiefs. There was one play where Becton tossed Pro Bowler Frank Clark to the ground. That left Gase taken aback.

“It’s unusual,” Gase said Thursday, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “I mean, this is a grown-man league now. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that happen to Frank Clark before.”

For context, here’s the video of Becton pancaking Clark.

Becton has been doing that to defenders all year long, though Clark is arguably the best pass-rusher he’s faced. At 364 pounds, Becton overpowers everyone that comes his way.

Becton has a 67.4 Pro Football Focus grade this season. The rookie has played 283 offensive snaps and only has three penalties and three sacks allowed.

It’s safe to say that the Jets have found a great player in Becton. They picked him 11th overall out of Louisville in this past year’s draft. Becton wasn’t even the first offensive lineman picked, either. He was third behind Andrew Thomas and Jedrick Wills. Tristan Wirfs came off the board two picks after Becton.

The Jets have not gotten much right this year, but so far Becton looks like the best of the bunch.

Mekhi Becton out for remainder of game vs. Colts

Mekhi Becton is for the rest of the Jets’ game against the Colts with a shoulder injury.

The Jets don’t have a lot of things going for them in 2020, but Mekhi Becton was the one sure thing. He is now injured.

New York announced that Becton is out for the rest of Sunday’s game against the Colts with a shoulder injury. Connor McDermott is in at left tackle for the injured Becton.

The Jets now have both their backup tackles in the game with Chuma Edoga in for George Fant, who was ruled out before the game with a concussion.

Becton has been one of the few positives for the Jets this season. He’s been an absolute stud at left tackle in his first couple of games in the NFL. Becton has made highlight-reel pancakes and has done a solid job protecting Sam Darnold’s blindside.

Becton’s loss is huge for the Jets, even if it’s just the rest of this game. All the Jets can hope for is that it’s a minor shoulder injury and Becton won’t be out for too long.

Jets OT Mekhi Becton happy to be hitting people again

Mekhi Becton is pumped up to be hitting people again.

Mekhi Becton is back to doing what he does best: pummeling players to the ground.

The rookie spoke to the media on Tuesday as the Jets held their second day of padded practices. For Becton, it was his first time practicing since he was at Louisville. So getting back on the field and doing his favorite thing has been an amazing feeling.

“I haven’t been able to hit someone in a while,” Becton said, “So it’s been great!”

The Jets have liked what they’ve seen out of Becton so far in training camp. All of the hype about how big he is has been amplified as he pancakes Jets defenders. Becton stands at 6-foot-7 and 370 pounds, which is not where he’d like to be at weight wise. He’d like to be in the range of 350-355 pounds, but the Jets are more worried about his production than size.

New York picked Becton 11th overall in this past year’s draft with the hope he can protect Sam Darnold’s blindside for years to come. Even without a full offseason program, the Jets expect Becton to make a big impact on the offensive line at left tackle in 2020.

It’s still extremely early in training camp, but as long as Becton keeps up the work, he’ll be putting a lot of defenders on the ground come the start of the regular season.