Jets get O-line help before Dolphins Black Friday game

The Jets are getting some much-needed help on the offensive line.

Duane Brown, the team’s starting left tackle for most of the past two seasons, was activated off injured reserve according to the team. Brown has been out since suffering a hip injury in Week 2 and until Thursday it was unclear if Brown would play again — for the Jets or ever — because coach Robert Saleh was still unsure of Brown’s status as his practice window came to a close. Had the Jets not activated Brown he would have reverted to season-ending injured reserve.

Now he might be starting in Friday’s standalone game with Mekhi Becton’s status still unclear as he recovers from an ankle injury that caused him to miss most of Sunday’s loss to the Bills. Becton participated in Wednesday’s practice, but was limited and clearly hampered by the injury.

If Becton can’t go, Brown will slide and start at left tackle. If Becton can play, the Jets will have to decide if they want to keep him at left tackle or move him to right tackle to make way for Brown, who hasn’t played any position other than left tackle since his college days more than 15 years ago.

The Jets also signed offensive lineman Xavier Newman. He’ll likely start at right guard (he wasn’t elevated from the practice squad last week after starting against the Raiders and suffering an injury).

Brown, 38, missed OTAs and most of training camp because of a shoulder injury that he played through last season despite missing five games. He returned in time for the start of the regular season, but he struggled mightily in the first two games. After the Cowboys game, the hip injury emerged. Saleh said he was confident Brown would play Week 3 against the Patriots, but Brown was placed on injured reserve the day before the game. Now, two months later, he’s finally getting back on the field.

The Jets are trying to save their season by snapping a three-game losing streak that forced them to bench Zach Wilson (again) for Tim Boyle heading…