On paper, the New York Jets have done a great job of addressing the things that went wrong with their team last season. Of course, having Aaron Rodgers back from his torn Achilles is a major piece of that puzzle, but questions remain over how well he will play at 40 years old and coming off of an injury that has ended other players’ careers. That being said, if anyone can come back from a torn Achilles at age 40 and still play on a high level, it’s him.
The injury to Rodgers, though, did shed a glaring spotlight on various holes and issues on offense. His former Green Bay Packers teammates, wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, were absolute disasters. Billy Turner, another former Rodgers teammate in Green Bay, played so poorly when he was on the field he could not crack the regular rotation of offensive linemen, who as a group were among the worst in the NFL.
The New York Jets Addressed the Offensive Line and Wide Receiver Positions in Free Agency and the 2024 NFL Draft
With Rodgers out for the season, it became obvious to anyone watching them that they were seriously lacking in quality offensive line and wide receiver depth. With Rodgers coming back from a serious injury, and given the fact that he is over 40 years old, it became imperative for general manager Joe Douglas to make these two positions his biggest priorities of the offseason.
And he did. Douglas and the Jets signed eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith to a one-year deal. The former Dallas Cowboys star has missed 37 games over the last four seasons, but provides experience and leadership to the position. When healthy, he is still one of the best tackles in the NFL.
New York also drafted Olu Fashanu out of Penn State with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Fashanu projects to be the team’s left tackle of the future may compete for a starting spot right away.
When it came to finding better targets for Rodgers, Douglas went out and signed free agent wide receiver Mike Williams, who had been released by the Los Angeles Chargers. Williams is coming off of a season in which he tore his ACL, but has two 1,000-yard seasons in his NFL career. He projects to be a solid number two wide receiver next to Garrett Wilson.
The Jets also traded up in the third round of the NFL Draft to select wide receiver Malachi Corley. In a recent podcast interview, Rodgers revealed that Corley was his absolute favorite wide receiver in the entire draft, a group of pass catchers that included Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze.
New York Jets Insider Suggests Team Should Sign Former Green Bay Packers Left Tackle David Bakhtiari
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Ever since Rodgers was first traded to the Jets, many have wondered when, not if, former Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari would join him. The five-time All-Pro has only played in 13 games over the last three years following a torn ACL at the end of the 2020 NFL season. Earlier this offseason, Green Bay released him for salary cap saving purposes.
A recent report states that Bakhtiari’s injury from last season is healing on schedule and that he should be ready to play in the NFL in 2024. However, he remains a free agent.
Jets insider Ralph Ventre believes that New York should be the team to take a shot on the oft-injured former Pro Bowler:
“Should the Jets feel the need for some insurance at a critical position when it comes to protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a five-time All-Pro, with ties to the team’s future Hall-of-Fame field general, could be the answer. After being released by the Green Bay Packers this past March, David Bakhtiari has been working his way back from knee surgery and projects to be ready to play in 2024.
“Bakhtiari, who has not lasted through an entire season since 2019, may still prove valuable as a veteran insurance policy and locker room presence. As the Jets found out firsthand last year, a team can never have too many capable options on the offensive line. At right tackle alone, New York was forced to start five different players at right tackle throughout an injury-plagued 2023 campaign.”
Due to his injury history, Bakhtiari will not be an expensive free agent. Additionally, playing as a backup or swing tackle could help prolong whatever time is left in Bakhtiari’s career.
That being said, the Jets are already banking on numerous players bouncing back from serious injuries in 2023. Maybe adding another one is not the best idea.
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