The New York Jets had a couple of offensive weapons on their roster, and a stacked defense before the Aaron Rodgers trade with the Green Bay Packers this April put the team in Super Bowl conversation. One NFL writer isn’t sure the Jets have done enough to ensure Rodgers’ success this season.
The Jets have a solid running back situation with Breece Hall heading into his second season. Rodgers has praised 2022 class colleague Garrett Wilson multiple times this spring. The Jets added offensive weapons he’s familiar with, including Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
But is that enough?
New York Jets criticized for their offensive line
Cody Benjamin with CBS Sports wrote about the biggest red flag for each NFL contender this season. Benjamin thinks the Jets didn’t do enough to make sure Rodgers has time to throw the ball to the weapons they have and brought in this offseason:
“Like the Jags, the Jets have been offseason darlings for their newly enhanced weaponry; Aaron Rodgers‘ arrival should mean an immediate vault into the playoff picture. But going on 40, are we sure the former MVP is well off behind a line touting Duane Brown, 37, coming off injury, and Mekhi Becton, who’s played one game the last two years, as its best, most talented tackles?”
Does Aaron Rodgers have enough protection up front?
Rodgers has benefited from playing behind a great offensive line in Green Bay. His situation in New York this season is much different. (Unless the Jets can pull off a trade to land his former teammate, David Bakhtriari.)
The Jets ranked 20th in the league in sacks given up last season, with 42 total sacks surrendered. Pro Football Focus ranks the Jets’ offensive line roster as the 23rd best in the NFL before training camp. Rodgers is going to have to navigate some poor offensive line play to win games this season.
He can do that. Rodgers had played decent last season with Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins out of the lineup for some of the Packers’ earlier games. But his play wasn’t as good as when he had a better offensive line later in the season. One would assume the Jets will try and make some noise this summer by calling about a Bakhtiari trade or adding another offensive lineman in free agency.
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