Top 10 guard targets for NY Jets between free agency and NFL draft

[LAD_Brooklyn]

6 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

The dilemma the Jets will face is that at 4 if there are no trade down offers to be had Okwenu could be by far the best rated prospect on the Jets board and in a different tier than the others. You could make a solid argument that it is a very good pick. He would play guard for a year and then move to either right or left tackle depending on how the Becton/Fant situation works out. I am not saying it is my preferred choice but there could be a ton of logical reasons to draft him there.

Let's say we 100% resolve our G situation in FA by inve$ting in Daniels or Scherff. In this situation there wouldn't be a spot for him. 

This is coming from someone who in September policed everyone to turn their heads away from Cross and Neal to focus on Ekwonu. I love the kid but in no way am I spending the 4th overall pick to make an immediate impact at G. If he's the choice, everyone else would have to move out his way whether it's Fant or Becton for the kid to take his seat at LT. 

Drake London should also see his stock shoot up into the top 10 incase we're in a position in which we can't trade down. 

[JohnnyLV]

12 minutes ago, doitny said:

i dont see us moving on from Becton. he still has 2 years left on a rookie contract. there is no reason not to bring him back and let him compete for the RT position. we need a FA to battle him for RT. not an expensive guy, you could find a decent on for about 4-5  mil 

I see it a different way. I think that at a minimum the Jets will be open to moving on from Becton. Saleh's comments on him says a lot.

The Jets will not cut Becton but there might be a team out there willing to spend a reasonably high pick on him.

There are countless examples of first round picks that initially struggle even badly that teams who had high grades on him are willing to use capital to see if they can develop him in their system.

I could see a team like Cincy willing to part with #31 for Becton with us maybe throwing in a lower round pic this year or a conditional pick next year. Even something creative like the Jets get 31, and Cincy gets a 2nd back next year which lowers depending on how well he works out.

[slats]

25 minutes ago, johnnysd said:

The dilemma the Jets will face is that at 4 if there are no trade down offers to be had Okwenu could be by far the best rated prospect on the Jets board and in a different tier than the others. You could make a solid argument that it is a very good pick. He would play guard for a year and then move to either right or left tackle depending on how the Becton/Fant situation works out. I am not saying it is my preferred choice but there could be a ton of logical reasons to draft him there.

The only logical reason would be that they’ve given up on Becton, which would be disappointing but probably isn’t out of the question. If they extend Fant and roll with Becton, that #4 pick is playing guard for at least two years, maybe forever. That’s a terrible pick. 
 
Everything I’ve read about this draft is that there isn’t a consensus top 3, 4, 5 picks, and that the draft will probably fall in a team needs kinda way as a result. I’d love for one of the QBs to rise for that trade down opportunity but, if it’s not there, I have a hard time believing that whatever top Edge they have on their board would be graded dramatically lower than a potential guard. What the Jets need is a pass rush. After decades of running a 3-4, they need to restock the defensive side of the ball with 4-3 attacking type players. The need on the DL has to outweigh any BAP concerns there. 

[sirlancemehlot]

3 hours ago, slats said:

I don’t understand how all you OL worshippers fail to take notice of the reason you want players capable of blocking; it’s largely to combat the other team’s pass rush!

When your new franchise QB is 12 years old and you have no running game, you're going to have a bad time.

[Jethead]

1 hour ago, doitny said:

i dont see us moving on from Becton. he still has 2 years left on a rookie contract. there is no reason not to bring him back and let him compete for the RT position. we need a FA to battle him for RT. not an expensive guy, you could find a decent on for about 4-5  mil 

Yes, Morgan Moses comes to mind, lol!

[Sonny Werblin]

9 hours ago, Bronx said:

Who can fill the New York Jets’ right guard position?

The New York Jets offensive line has made some steady progress the last two years. Heading into 2022, the unit has four out of its five spots filled with an expected starter under contract.

Starting on the outside, George Fant and Mekhi Becton are set to be the two tackles. Who starts on which side will be determined during training camp. On the inside, Alijah Vera-Tucker is locked in at left guard while Connor McGovern should be back at center.

Overall, the group is solid. Adding a quality starter at right guard is the next step for the unit to reach a new level.

In the draft, there are three top-tier offensive line prospects who could be in play for the Jets in the first round with either of their two selections (No. 4 and No. 10). On the pro side, there will be multiple options for the Jets in free agency if they choose that route.

Let’s take a look at the 10 best right guards for the Jets will be between the expected free-agent market and the 2022 NFL draft.

10. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, New York Jets

The Jets’ own right guard to wrap up the 2021 season, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, is slated to hit the market. Bringing back Duvernay-Tardif could be a smart move for a few key reasons.

Duvernay-Tardif is a capable veteran who now has experience in the system. He provided an instant boost to the running game when he entered the starting lineup in Week 11.

Re-signing Duvernay-Tardif to a shorter-term deal does not rule out the possibility of drafting a long-term answer if the opportunity presents itself. Ideally, he could provide stellar guard depth.

9. Connor Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Connor Williams is one of the more polarizing players currently set to hit the unrestricted free-agent market.

Williams provides plenty of starting experience. Throughout his four-year career, he has appeared in 57 games and has 51 starts (3,510 total snaps). In 2021, he only allowed one sack which helped him earn a 76.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (ranking 9th-best out of 70 qualified guards).

However, Williams has a tendency to commit too many penalties. He has a total of 30 in his career (7.5 per season) and recorded a career-high of 14 last season. No player in the NFL had more (regardless of position).

He is an inconsistent player but will only be turning 25 in May. Williams could improve in a better situation.

8. Austin Corbett, Los Angeles Rams

Austin Corbett is arguably the most underrated option on this list.

Corbett started all 39 regular season and playoff games for the Rams over the last two seasons. Corbett played 100% of the team’s snaps in 2020 (1,119) and 99% in 2021 (1,080). Availability is a huge bonus when it comes to Corbett.

The Nevada product plays in an offensive scheme that is similar to what the Jets run under offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Over the last two seasons, Corbett has allowed only four sacks and committed only seven penalties (two in 2021).

Corbett earned an overall PFF grade of 68.8 for the year, placing him 25th out of 70 qualified guards. Set to turn 27 in September, he would be a savvy addition to the offensive line.

7. Brandon Scherff, Washington Commanders

Since the last year he played on his rookie contract in 2019, Brandon Scherff has been a player Jets fans have linked to the team in one offseason after the next. He was franchise-tagged in both 2020 and 2021. Finally, he appears set to hit the open market.

The seven-year veteran has started all 89 games he has played in the league (5,681 snaps). Unfortunately, in every season since 2018, he has missed at least three games. In 2021, he played 11 games.

Scherff committed five penalties last year. He earned an overall grade of 73.6 at PFF, ranking 14th out of 70 qualifiers. Scherff did not allow a sack on the year.

Scherff will turn 31 in December. With his age and durability concerns, it will be interesting to see if Jets general manager Joe Douglas shows interest in Scherff.

6. Laken Tomlinson, San Francisco 49ers

Laken Tomlinson just had possibly the best year of his career. He did it in essentially the same offensive scheme the Jets run which would make the transition a seamless one. Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur shared four years in San Francisco with Tomlinson (2017-20).

Tomlinson was acquired by the 49ers in 2017. Over the last five years, he only missed one start, which was in his first season with the team. He’s played in 86 consecutive regular season and playoff games, and would provide the Jets with great week-to-week reliability with his availability.

PFF assigned Tomlinson with a 75.9 overall grade for the 2021 campaign, ranking 10th out of 70 qualified guards. He was great in pass protection, only allowing two sacks.

Tomlinson is entering his eighth season and just turned 30. He is on the older side but would still be an upgrade for the Jets, all while offering scheme familiarity and excellent durability.

5. James Daniels, Chicago Bears

James Daniels just had his best season with the Bears.

After a season-ending pectoral injury in 2020, Daniels started all 17 games for the Bears in 2021 (1,122 snaps).

Daniels got a 71.0 grade from PFF in 2021, placing 19th out of 70 qualifiers. He only allowed three sacks. On the other hand, he committed nine penalties. Daniels is still very young and offers excellent athleticism, giving him the upside to improve.

In September, Daniels will only be turning 25. He is a talented player who should continue to grow. It will be intriguing to see if the Jets show interest in Daniels.

4. Alex Cappa, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The best out of all the free agents on the list, Alex Cappa has been a three-year starter for the Buccaneers (46 career starts). Cappa has played 100% of the team’s snaps in each of the last two years (2,253 total snaps).

Cappa earned a PFF grade of 74.2 in 2021, settling in at 12th out of 70 qualifiers. He allowed five sacks but it’s worth noting that he played the third-most pass-blocking snaps of any guard (796) and only committed one penalty the entire year.

The penalty amount is not a fluke, either. In 2020, he only had one penalty as well. Cappa would bring great discipline to the Jets offensive line.

Cappa recently turned 27 and is likely just hitting his prime. He would be a fantastic signing for the Jets.

3. Zion Johnson, Boston College

After seven veterans to start, the top of this list is rounded out by the youth that is entering the upcoming draft.

Zion Johnson is an exciting prospect that just had a great week at the Senior Bowl. After transferring from Davidson to Boston College in 2019, he went on to play in 36 games over the last three seasons (2,288 snaps).

Last year, Johnson earned a PFF grade of 84.4. As a pass blocker, he made a ton of progress. From 2020 to 2021, his total number of hurries allowed decreased drastically from 14 to three. His total of QB hits allowed dropped from six to two and his total of sacks allowed also went down from two to one.

Johnson was a team captain at Boston College. His stock has increased greatly over the last month. If the Jets trade down from the 10th pick, Johnson could be a top option in the middle of the first round.

2. Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

Kenyon Green is a talented offensive lineman with versatility. Green started all 35 games he played in at Texas A&M over the last three years. He was a captain for his team last season.

Green was a successful blocker for Texas A&M wherever he lined up. Over his three years with the Aggies, he played 1,098 snaps at left guard, 853 snaps at right guard, 142 snaps at right tackle, 81 snaps at left tackle, and even one snap at center.

The two-time consensus All-American possesses a great anchor as a pass blocker. He has a good overall frame for a right guard (6-foot-4, 325 pounds). To go along with his size and strength, Green is a good athlete who would fit the Jets’ zone running scheme.

Green will only be turning 21 in March. He is a relatively safe prospect who could be an option at 10 but is more likely to be in play for the Jets with a trade down from the 10th pick.

1. Ikem Ekwonu, N.C. State

In my article looking at EDGE targets, I highlighted Oregon prospect Kayvon Thibodeaux as the Jets’ best option not only at his position but in the entire draft. After him, North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu is the second-best potential prospect for the Jets to select with the fourth overall pick in the draft.

Ekwonu is a physical player who brings a mauling presence in the running game. For someone as big and strong as he is, Ekwonu possesses athleticism that allows him to be successful as a pass blocker. Ekwonu can also move in space and be successful. He would fit well in the Jets’ offensive scheme. 

With Fant and Becton as the two tackles, Ekwonu – who mostly played left tackle in his Wolfpack career – could fit in perfectly at right guard. Ekwonu does possess the versatility to play inside as he logged 239 snaps at left guard in 2020.

The Jets will likely have to take Ekwonu at No. 4 in order to land him.

Honorable Mentions

Projected Unrestricted Free Agents

• Trai Turner, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Andrew Norwell, Jacksonville Jaguars
• Mark Glowinski, Indianapolis Colts

Draft Prospects

• Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
• Sean Rhyan, UCLA
• Tyler Smith, Tulsa

www.jetsxfactor.com

What about the possibility of drafting a C and moving McGovern to RG?

[Snell41]

Solid?  Really?! 
I agree they improved but they are far from solid.
I consider Fant serviceable.  Yet, I never expected him to remain healthy.  The risk is still there.
Conner is decent at best.  This is also a glaring hole in my opinion.
The way I see it we still need at least 2, maybe 3, on the OL.

Can’t played at an elite level at LT with Zach Wilson as his QB. He is far more than serviceable.


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[doitny]

2 hours ago, johnnysd said:

I see it a different way. I think that at a minimum the Jets will be open to moving on from Becton. Saleh's comments on him says a lot.

The Jets will not cut Becton but there might be a team out there willing to spend a reasonably high pick on him.

There are countless examples of first round picks that initially struggle even badly that teams who had high grades on him are willing to use capital to see if they can develop him in their system.

I could see a team like Cincy willing to part with #31 for Becton with us maybe throwing in a lower round pic this year or a conditional pick next year. Even something creative like the Jets get 31, and Cincy gets a 2nd back next year which lowers depending on how well he works out.

no way they give us a #1 for him.

he just missed the whole season when he was supposed to miss just 8 weeks. he has weight issuses. Lawson who is no JJ Watts schooled him in camp. which is funny cause they just let Lawson go. they know how good or not he is.

the guy they didnt think was good enough for their team ( Lawson) was abusing the guy you want them to give up a 1st for. lmao

thats a lot of question marks for a 1st rd pick. and considering this draft is deep in OL im sure they could get one at 31. plus you got to pay him in 2 years instead of 4 for a rookie.

i just dont know how a team can give up such a high pick without seeing him on the field after that injury.

[Rhg1084]

Honestly I’d bring back LDT to start, he was quality 

[slats]

2 hours ago, sirlancemehlot said:

When your new franchise QB is 12 years old and you have no running game, you're going to have a bad time.

They had a good running game the second half of last year, and it’ll be even better if Becton is back and replaces Moses at RT. Resign LDT or try to upgrade from him, bring in a starting caliber swing tackle, and you’re good. Look at developmental OL from the fourth round on down. 

[extmenace]

8 hours ago, Sammybighead said:

Totally agree, but ekwonu adds value if he can play tackle and provides insurance against becton. That’s what you’re paying the #4 pick for, not necessarily a pure guard (that was AVT last year).

Yea, ekwonu would give us some flexibility. If becton regresses, becton could also potentially be moved to guard and ekwonu gets moved to tackle. I like the flexibility. The potential for having a great o line would be there, the coaching staff would just need to figure out who plays where.

[jetstream23]

1 hour ago, Rhg1084 said:

Honestly I’d bring back LDT to start, he was quality 

 

[sirlancemehlot]

12 minutes ago, slats said:

They had a good running game the second half of last year, and it’ll be even better if Becton is back and replaces Moses at RT. Resign LDT or try to upgrade from him, bring in a starting caliber swing tackle, and you’re good. Look at developmental OL from the fourth round on down. 

Honestly I'm ok with not going OL in Rd. 1 because this draft is a rarity in terms of OL depth.  You can get a decent guard or tackle that's plug and play in Rd. 3 if there isn't a run on them.  Late second gets you a likely starter if you don't whiff.  Depth becomes an issue if we don't start hitting on these developmental guys.  I mean Cameron Clark is an outright bust.  So if you don't resign Tardiff-Duvernay, you've got to recycle Feeney/Van Roten types.  And if you have an injury anywhere, you're basically screwed.  

[CanadienJetsFan]

Trade down @ 4 !!!

 

[68JET11]

9 hours ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

Let's say that JD drafts a gem OL in the 5th round.  He's still going to need to get paid in a few years anyway though, no?

 

9 hours ago, jamesr said:

Some interesting options there ... I'd like us to keep LDT as a possible starter / quality depth, as it doesn't limit our options later on like a big name FA signing would. Tomlinson, Daniels etc as FA signings I would also get behind.

But please, no Scherff. His price tag and his injuries are not a good combination right now.

 

9 hours ago, Claymation said:

Ikem can move outside next year.

THIS > THIS and >THIS

Not that it's the only way to do it, but I'd want to go draft for the OL and as I've explained before, I want the line to grow with ZW. If you can provide stability with those 6 positions to stay intact for 3-5 years, while on rookie deals, then I believe that's the way to go. The only way I'd not go Ekwonu with 4 is either he's not there or I can be 100% guaranteed that Zion would be there at pick 35 or 38.

[bla bla bla]

Decided to make a video on this topic after reading the post. Here are my top 5 from the list:

1) LDT - retain him, will be cheaper than  most, and allows you to be flexible in the draft

2) Go Edge at #4, if both are gone I'd look at Ekwonu with Jermaine Johnson II at #10

3) Trade Down from 10 and take Kenyon Green or Zion Johnson (preferably Green)

4) Lake Tomlinson - 4 years with Lafleur and Saleh, probably more of an option if you don't sign LDT.

5) Austin Corbett - similar blocking scheme to us, always available.

[Drums]

Based on the write up, Corbett sounds like a guy JD might target. Personally, I’d like to see LDT come back. I haven’t heard what his plans are but I liked him and the line got way better when he started. Then draft depth day 2+ based on their boards. Other than that, besides Williams and Scherf, the other vets sound like they would fit in. This already seems like a better group than the FA WRs. 

[Sperm Edwards]

15 hours ago, jamesr said:

Some interesting options there ... I'd like us to keep LDT as a possible starter / quality depth, as it doesn't limit our options later on like a big name FA signing would. Tomlinson, Daniels etc as FA signings I would also get behind.

But please, no Scherff. His price tag and his injuries are not a good combination right now.

What, you don't think it's a smart idea to pay a RG $1.5-2MM per game (with 3 years guaranteed, since he'll qualify for any injury guarantees to kick in)?

You = crazy

[jamesr]

10 hours ago, Drums said:

Based on the write up, Corbett sounds like a guy JD might target. Personally, I’d like to see LDT come back. I haven’t heard what his plans are but I liked him and the line got way better when he started. Then draft depth day 2+ based on their boards. Other than that, besides Williams and Scherf, the other vets sound like they would fit in. This already seems like a better group than the FA WRs. 

There was a nice quote from LDT I saw yesterday (EDIT - also see it was posted above) ... talked about wanting to come back and how the team culture is so important to him, the relationship with the coaching staff etc. I'm hopeful we'll keep him and have him compete for the starting job; as I say above, worst case he's top quality depth.

[BigRy56]

If the Jets addressed the OL in free agency and Hutch/Thib go in the top 3, everybody needs to buckle up because Kyle Hamilton is probably the pick

[jamesr]

30 minutes ago, BigRy56 said:

If the Jets addressed the OL in free agency and Hutch/Thib go in the top 3, everybody needs to buckle up because Kyle Hamilton is probably the pick

Hamilton or Gardner, potentially.

But don't rule out still going Edge ... I know there's a lot of talk about "value" and "drafting players too high". But TJ Watt was drafted 30th, I'm sure in part because of "value" and "not drafting him too high". If you rate a guy high enough on your board, and have a real need at that position, you take him whether or not the value is there, IMHO. Say we pass on Karlaftis or another Edge and he tears it up elsewhere, while we end up with a good guard or a DB, yet again we'll be kicking ourselves (or JD, anyway) for bad drafting.

[32EBoozer]

22 hours ago, rangerous said:

i also saw kupp basically winning that game by being the only reliable receiver stafford had going down the stretch.  

This 100%
I hope Elijah Moore can be this guy in our system , but having a pure “X” receiver who can do this is what we need. Think Evan’s, Adams, AJ Brown. 
Add to this a quality TE and Zach has no excuse not being a top 15 QB. 

[68JET11]

1 hour ago, jamesr said:

Hamilton or Gardner, potentially.

But don't rule out still going Edge ... I know there's a lot of talk about "value" and "drafting players too high". But TJ Watt was drafted 30th, I'm sure in part because of "value" and "not drafting him too high". If you rate a guy high enough on your board, and have a real need at that position, you take him whether or not the value is there, IMHO. Say we pass on Karlaftis or another Edge and he tears it up elsewhere, while we end up with a good guard or a DB, yet again we'll be kicking ourselves (or JD, anyway) for bad drafting.

Agreed, but FA should be about plugging holes and getting the players you want to help build your team. Not spending top dollar on guys who don't play much because of injuries. Then in the draft u draft for BPA, and need hopefully in the same pick, however I'm not drafting an EDGE because we need on that doesn't belong at #4. I'd personally rather trade down, if there was a willing partner, but if that's not the case, and you have say one of the OL on the top of your draft board you take him, and then pick up the EDGE Johnson or Karlaftis at 10.

[JustInFudge]

14 hours ago, Rhg1084 said:

Honestly I’d bring back LDT to start, he was quality 

Follow JiF's plan; bring them all back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

As much as Moses isn't sure what his future holds, prefacing the fact that there are parts of free agency that will be out of his control, it certainly seems like the 30-year-old would jump at an opportunity to re-sign with the Jets this offseason.

"My time here has been amazing," Moses told reporters. "You hear the chatter in your ear about how bad the Jets organization is and things like that. That hasn't been my makeup since I've been here. Everybody is working to one thing and that's just to be great. Being able to showcase the best team that you can every Sunday. As a veteran guy, that's all you can ask for."

"This is a great organization and I'm having a lot of fun with the players here, getting to know these guys," Moses said. "Most importantly, my family has had a great time here, my kids have had a great time being a part of a family organization here. So, we'll have to see.

"I love it here, I like it a lot. We'll see how it goes."

[Dunnie]

I can’t See us going offensive line in the first round. Fant needs a new contract, Becton will need to have his fifth year option decided after this season. AVT & ZW will need new contracts in the same year down the road. 
 
That’s a lot of big contracts. JD needs to find inexpensive gems in FA and the latter rounds of the draft for replenishing the OL year after year. 
 
Edge and WR position in Rd. 1 is the value play. What actually happens is why JD making the big money. 

Yeah .. Ekwonu at 4 book it.

[Dunnie]

If the Jets addressed the OL in free agency and Hutch/Thib go in the top 3, everybody needs to buckle up because Kyle Hamilton is probably the pick

Please dont say this out loud ever again....

[jamesr]

1 hour ago, 68JET11 said:

Agreed, but FA should be about plugging holes and getting the players you want to help build your team. Not spending top dollar on guys who don't play much because of injuries. Then in the draft u draft for BPA, and need hopefully in the same pick, however I'm not drafting an EDGE because we need on that doesn't belong at #4. I'd personally rather trade down, if there was a willing partner, but if that's not the case, and you have say one of the OL on the top of your draft board you take him, and then pick up the EDGE Johnson or Karlaftis at 10.

FA is always a tricky situation - yes, you want to enter the draft with no glaring holes, but given that our biggest need is edge rusher I'm not sure what direction we'll look to go based on who is / will be available.

Miller, Jones, Clowney, Ingram ... all very much in the older / oft-injured category and likely won't come cheap. Gregory is more a concern around suspensions than injuries ... doesn't strike me as a fit for us. Ogbah or Landry may be a better option, but they'll want to be well paid and given a decent contract length, does JD see either of them as being good value and long term guys?

Whether or not we go (1) short term rental of declining vet, (2) long term investment in potential riser or (3) fill out the roster with a JAG or two will have a big influence on our likely draft route.

1 or 3 will pretty much require a decent draft investment - just maybe not #4 overall - whereas 2 would potentially mean we'll only draft edge in Round 1 if one of the top two is still there at 4. Option 1 also tends to be the sort of thing you look at post-draft - who's still on the shelf who's willing to take a one-year team friendly deal.

As for the draft itself, JD needs t have the courage to make the "bold pick" - if he views a Karlaftis or an Ojabo as a future star then they have to ignore the consensus on value IMHO. Too often with Macc we complained that he took the consensus / "safe" pick regardless of positional value; I'm hoping JD will not shy away from taking "his guy" because of concerns over public opinion and the inevitable draft grades that are handed out the day after the draft. Not advocating picking a edge just because we need one, but if he has a belief in the guy he can't let perception / job pressure get in the way of making the pick.

[rangerous]

4 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

This 100%
I hope Elijah Moore can be this guy in our system , but having a pure “X” receiver who can do this is what we need. Think Evan’s, Adams, AJ Brown. 
Add to this a quality TE and Zach has no excuse not being a top 15 QB. 

i think the only other receiver i saw that could actually take over a game was fitzgerald.  no offense to rice or swann or anyof the other great ones.

[Claymation]

15 hours ago, 68JET11 said:

 

 

THIS > THIS and >THIS

Not that it's the only way to do it, but I'd want to go draft for the OL and as I've explained before, I want the line to grow with ZW. If you can provide stability with those 6 positions to stay intact for 3-5 years, while on rookie deals, then I believe that's the way to go. The only way I'd not go Ekwonu with 4 is either he's not there or I can be 100% guaranteed that Zion would be there at pick 35 or 38.

I like Zion quite a bit, feel he can be the center next year.

[TheClashFan]

My plan at this time: the Jets should not spend big $ on a FA guard.  Just don't.  Sign a solid RT guy (or resign Moses) to complete with Becton for RT. Have Becton compete at both LT and RT, but don't expect anything from him b/c the guy has yet to be able to stay healthy and might have a questionable dedication to the game.

Draft a young swing/future starter tackle.  Do so in round 2.  The Jets need instant depth. Fant and McGovern had knee injuries late last year, and Edoga and McDermott are garbage. Again, don't assume Becton will give you anything, but also don't give up on him. Fant is also going into his potential walk year.

Draft a young C. I'd consider Linderbaum at pick 10 if he's there (but I know some of you wouldn't).  I think JD might very well trade back from 10 if he can't from 4, so this all may be moot.  If not, grab a guy in the 3rd round and look to move McGovern to RG either this year or next if the young guy develops well.

Draft another OL somewhere in rounds 5-6.  JD needs a "pipeline" of young OL because he's not going to hit on every pick. Plus, Clarke is gone and Becton is a danger to fully bust this year.  The Jets need some young talent on the OL for sure. 

 

[bla bla bla]

21 hours ago, slats said:

The only logical reason would be that they’ve given up on Becton, which would be disappointing but probably isn’t out of the question. If they extend Fant and roll with Becton, that #4 pick is playing guard for at least two years, maybe forever. That’s a terrible pick. 
 
Everything I’ve read about this draft is that there isn’t a consensus top 3, 4, 5 picks, and that the draft will probably fall in a team needs kinda way as a result. I’d love for one of the QBs to rise for that trade down opportunity but, if it’s not there, I have a hard time believing that whatever top Edge they have on their board would be graded dramatically lower than a potential guard. What the Jets need is a pass rush. After decades of running a 3-4, they need to restock the defensive side of the ball with 4-3 attacking type players. The need on the DL has to outweigh any BAP concerns there. 

It's hard to get a read on what the Jets will do. Daniel Jeremiah has 7 Edge players in his top 25 prospects, I think I'm a little more flexible on what we do because of that 10th pick. 

I could see a scenario where they like Ekwonu at 4 and an Edge at 10 but I could also see Edge at 4 and our choice of top WR at 10. There aren't many scenarios I'd be upset with.

[Chrebetfan80]

On 2/15/2022 at 7:33 AM, sec101row23 said:

If JD drafts Ikwonu to play RG he would have used the 14th, 66th and 86th overall picks in the 2021 draft and the 4th overall pick in 2022 to fill RG and LG positions.   That’s a s**t load of draft capital to fill the guard positions.  

Alot of capital for sure, but I think its also because of what else it offers obviously. 

RG for now, but the ability to play T at any point in case of injury (I know this personally for coaching, our OL coach always says he needs 7 guys going into any season because you 100% will have at least one injury at some point).  So the flexibility Ekwonu offers has its own value.  While we're resigning fant hopefully you have to protect yourself to see if he lives up to the contract, or also protect yourself against Becton never rounding into form.  

We can look at it as a waste taking Ekwonu this year to play RG but in 2 years be happy we did as we have someone that could be playing LT.  You just never know

Whats the old saying?  Expect the best but plan for the worst?  i think thats where this falls into. 

[jetstream23]

My ideal situation would be the Jets both sign Moses (1 year deal) AND Extend Fant.  They bring back LDT on a 1 year deal.  In the Draft they hit Edge rusher and WR in the 1st round and get Zion Johnson at #35 (first pick in the 2nd round).  That would take a Jets offensive line that has finally become borderline Good and make it clearly a Good offensive line without breaking the bank and without using a 1st round pick.

Fant/Becton - AVT - McGovern - Johnson - Becton/Moses

 

 

[THE BARON]

Find a way to land Cappa. Empty the cash box.  And, find a way to draft Ekwonu.  Problems on the line solved.  They are not just guys with physical skills, they are real football players with the right things going on between their ears.  Unlike Big Ticket, who should be traded right now before everyone out there is sure he's dead weight.  Before he gets one more season to "prove himself", they may be able to fool a few buyers.  Caveat Emptor. 

[Alka]

On 2/15/2022 at 4:53 AM, Bronx said:

1. Ikem Ekwonu, N.C. State

In my article looking at EDGE targets, I highlighted Oregon prospect Kayvon Thibodeaux as the Jets’ best option not only at his position but in the entire draft. After him, North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu is the second-best potential prospect for the Jets to select with the fourth overall pick in the draft.

Ekwonu is a physical player who brings a mauling presence in the running game. For someone as big and strong as he is, Ekwonu possesses athleticism that allows him to be successful as a pass blocker. Ekwonu can also move in space and be successful. He would fit well in the Jets’ offensive scheme. 

With Fant and Becton as the two tackles, Ekwonu – who mostly played left tackle in his Wolfpack career – could fit in perfectly at right guard. Ekwonu does possess the versatility to play inside as he logged 239 snaps at left guard in 2020.

The Jets will likely have to take Ekwonu at No. 4 in order to land him.

I realize that the Jets have a lot of needs, but inserting this guy at right guard with a healthy Becton at right tackle would solidify this line, making them one of th 5 best offensive lines in the entire NFL.