Jets still don’t know who will be protecting Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets are still trying to figure out who will keep Aaron Rodgers upright this season.

With former first-round pick Mekhi Becton having his fifth-year option declined, the New York Jets are unsettled at figuring out who will be Aaron Rodgers’ blind-side protectors for this NFL season.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that five players will be competing for the two starting tackle spots. Becton will have his work cut out for him with Duane Brown, Cedric Ogbuehi, Max Mitchell and Billy Turner all duking it out for playing time. Becton may view himself as a left tackle, but Saleh said he has to earn it: “Go earn the left tackle.” Why would he not want to protect Rodgers?

Even if Becton never lives up to his draft slot, I think the Jets are in fantastic shape anyways here.

New York Jets are unsettled at figuring out who will be protecting Aaron Rodgers

Let’s be real. Had the Jets gotten better quarterback last year, Gang Green would have made the playoffs going away. Joe Douglas has built quite the roster. Saleh certainly made great strides in year two as a head coach. His defense was flying around and guys were making plays all over the field on both sides of the ball. Too bad the Zach Wilson pick was the 2021 version of Josh Rosen…

What I’m getting at is this. Rodgers changes the entire dynamic of the Jets’ overall viability. I would anticipate that his first year in East Rutherford will be far better than his predecessor Brett Favre’s lone year with Gang Green was back in 2008. Rodgers is not inherently reckless with the football. He may be pushing 40, but I think he will feel rejuvenated not playing for the Green Bay Packers.

After so many years of mediocre-to-bad quarterback play, the Jets will have somebody of substance with clearly something left in the tank. Rodgers should be able to galvanize all the players around him. His teammates in Green Bay always seemed to think highly of him. I think what this will do is force the front-five playing in front of him to achieve their maximum potential.

This is a rare opportunity for the Jets. I would fully expect for their league-worst playoff drought to come to an end this fall. Simply put, New York will play up to account for Rodgers being part of their team. While I don’t think they have what it takes to beat out Buffalo to win the division, the Jets are definitely on the shortlist of teams who could realistically go worst-to-first this season.

Becton and the rest of the offensive line needs refinement, but at least the Jets have Rodgers…