The New York Jets’ offensive line will be tested early on in 2020 season

New York Jets, Sam Darnold

The New York Jets made it a priority to allocate plenty of resources this off-season toward the offensive line. General manager Joe Douglas was simply tired of watching Sam Darnold get sacked over and over, having gone down 63 times the past two seasons. Douglas went out and signed guard Greg Van Roten, center Conner McGovern, and tackle George Fant. However, he also used the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft on massive Louisville tackle, Mekhi  Becton.

The amount of capital he spent on retooling this unit to boost Darnold’s efficiency is exactly what the team needed. Ultimately, based on the first few games of the upcoming season, a talented offensive line is going to be a necessity.

Adam Gase and the Jets will face off against the Buffalo Bills, who hold the number two defense in the league, and the San Francisco 49ers, who have the number eight ranked defense.

Buffalo just drafted AJ Epenesa in the second round of the NFL draft, not to mention already having Jerry Hughes, Star Lotulelei, and Ed Oliver. They have an impressive interior and pass rush group who will pose a significant threat against a new offensive line composed by the Jets. Their lack of chemistry and overall talent will be tested fiercely in week one.

After the first two weeks of the season, the Jets will travel to Indianapolis to face off against the Colts. The Colts do have Justin Houston and DeForest Buckner, two highly capable pass rushers. That makes three consecutive weeks of playing elite talent. However, it doesn’t stop there, as week four represents the Denver Broncos who feature Bradley Chubb and Von Miller.

So, four weeks in a row of consistently tough opponents. The Jets receive a bit of an easier opponent in the Arizona Cardinals, in week five, but they are a rising team and should not be overlooked. So, to start, the Jets have four consecutive weeks of tough defensive matchups that will significantly threaten the composer of their newly built protection scheme in the trenches. I expect them to rely heavily on their defense keeping them in the game and quick passes to running back Le’Veon Bell and slot receiver Jamison Crowder.

Mentioned in this article:

More about: