New York Jets center Connor McGovern (60) lies no the field with an apparent injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
FLORHAM PARK — It’s easy to suggest that the lone culprit of the New York Jets’ historical offensive struggles this season is at the quarterback position.
The larger truth, though, may be a little more complex.
In 2022, it was easy to look past some positional struggles due to the fact the team used three different quarterbacks due to injury or incompetence. The one constant in each of these past few years though has been the turnstile way the offensive line has had to work due to numerous injuries along the way.
For this season at least, the real culprit of the rough start for the Jets’ offense could easily be tied to the same kind of injuries plaguing the same important group for a second straight year. Through the first two and a half months of the NFL season, New York’s rash of injuries along the offensive line might be even greater than they were the previous year.
During the entirety of the 2022 season, the Jets used 11 different offensive linemen were used – a usually unheard-of number. Injuries to Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown, Max Mitchell, and Alijah Vera-Tucker completely derailed the entire year down the stretch. In this same year, just eight games into the NFL season, New York has already used 11 different ones with a 12th expected on Sunday. With nine more games to go, it seems that their offensive line troubles can’t get any worse.
“What makes this so unique is how many and how early in the season,” Jets offensive line coach Keith Carter said. “For it to happen this fast is unique…Just one of those crazy years.”
New York has already lost Alijah Vera-Tucker for the year (for the second straight season). Connor McGovern and Wes Schweitzer are on IR, both from the same game. Duane Brown…
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