Jets 2022 Position Breakdown: Can offensive line be dominant?

GM Joe Douglas has consistently looked to upgrade this unit

6/11/2022, 2:00 PM
Mekhi Becton / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image
Mekhi Becton / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image

Heading into the 2022 season, the Jets have made a series of moves to improve the state of their roster and overall depth, but are they ready to compete for a playoff spot?

In this series, we’ll break down the depth chart for every position group. This time, we’ll go in-depth on the offensive line…


Projected depth chart

Starters: Mekhi Becton (Left Tackle), Laken Tomlinson (Left Guard), Connor McGovern (Center), Alijah Vera-Tucker (Right Guard), George Fant (Right Tackle)

Backups: Dan Feeney, Chuma Edoga, Conor McDermott, Nate Herbig, Max Mitchell, Grant Hermanns, Parker Ferguson, Derrick Clark II, Ross Pierschbacher, Dru Samia, Greg Senat

Key additions/losses: Signed Tomlinson and Herbig in free agency, drafted Mitchell, allowed Morgan Moses to leave in free agency, released Greg Van Roten

Top Performer in 2021: Fant – 15 games started, only one sack allowed

Top 2021 ranking via PFF: McGovern – 9th at center, 43rd offensive line

What Jets’ offensive linemen have going for them

General manager Joe Douglas has consistently looked to upgrade this unit wherever he can and they arguably have the potential to be among the league’s best. Having drafted Vera-Tucker in the first round last season, the Jets made Tomlinson their top free agent signing to produce a guard pairing that could prove elite. Vera-Tucker is reportedly moving to the right side to accommodate the veteran.

The under-appreciated McGovern is a solid center between them. Few NFL centers have the smarts and athletic ability to handle the requirements of John Benton’s blocking scheme, but McGovern has been solid over the last season and a half after a rocky start to 2020.

At tackle, the Jets will hope that Becton returns to the level of dominance he showed in his rookie year after missing most of last season. In his absence, Fant stepped in at left tackle and put together the most consistent season of his career. However, Moses – who ended up starting the last 16 games – will need to be replaced.

Key concern for 2022: Depth

In terms of depth, Feeney, McDermott, and Edoga have all started multiple games in the past, but each of them would be a clear downgrade if called into action. The Jets will hope that the additions of Herbig and Mitchell will add some more flexibility, but none of the other players currently on the roster have any real experience.

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While the Jets are hopeful Becton will be back in action soon, they must still be concerned about what will happen if he gets injured again, because it has taken him much longer than expected to overcome last year’s injury. If these concerns persist, the Jets may explore bringing in a veteran with starting experience, but it’s unlikely they’ll find someone of Moses’ caliber.

Player who must step up in 2022: Mekhi Becton

Becton’s absence from OTAs has only served to add to the concern that the Jets don’t know whether they can rely on him in 2022 and beyond. The team has repeatedly said that they’ve been closely monitoring his progress, that he’s in great shape and that him being absent isn’t a major issue. However, they can’t start to plan ahead for the season until they see him in action. As head coach Robert Saleh has said, this is a big year for him.

Becton will be at the mandatory minicamp next week and the Jets will hope he can impress to alleviate some of these concerns. Saleh has said he’s delaying any decision on whether Becton will recapture the left tackle role until his arrival. Previous speculation was that he could be asked to move to the right following Fant’s good performance on the left in 2021.

Biggest camp battle: Mitchell vs. Edoga vs. McDermott

If all goes to plan, the Jets won’t need to use their swing tackle much during the season, but recent history indicates it could be a vitally important role. The rookie Mitchell will compete for this role with Edoga and McDermott, each of whom saw action in relief last season.

As noted, the reserves tended to be an obvious downgrade from the starters last season and that’s unlikely to change in 2021 unless one of these players steps up unexpectedly, or the Jets change course and bring in someone from outside the organization with more experience.

Overall 2022 outlook

There’s no question the Jets have a good collection of players, a nice mixture of youth and experience, and some good positional flexibility within their offensive line ranks. However, there’s a few moving parts and the situation surrounding Becton’s status creates some uncertainty. But if this group can stay healthy and build some chemistry and cohesion, they have a legitimate chance to be among the league’s best units.

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