Unknown Jets player will dictate what the Jets do with their first round pick in the draft
The New York Jets have had a very busy offseason thus far. Joe Douglas seems to be going down his wish list and checking things off one by one. The top of the wish list was certainly to rebuild the offensive line that was ranked one of the worst in the league in every metric […]
The New York Jets have had a very busy offseason thus far. Joe Douglas seems to be going down his wish list and checking things off one by one.
The top of the wish list was certainly to rebuild the offensive line that was ranked one of the worst in the league in every metric that matters last season. To that end, the Jets went out and got John Simpson and former Jet, Morgan Moses, from the Baltimore Ravens. As well as perennial Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer, Tyron Smith, from the Dallas Cowboys.
Smith is a bit of a boom-or-bust signing. While he is certainly one of the most talented left tackles to play the game, he is also 33-years old and has not played more than 13 games in a season since 2015. His inability to play every game has some Jets fans and media members urging the Jets to take a left tackle with the 10th pick in the draft. But I wouldn’t count on it because the Jets believe they already have a steady backup at left tackle in place: Carter Warren.
The Jets took the 6-foot-5, 325-pound Warren out of Pitt in the fourth round of the draft last year and he missed OTAs because of a knee injury that sidelined him most of 2022. He was thrust into the starting role for five games last season because of the injuries that plagued the Jets and he fared pretty well.
He exceeded expectations for a mid-round rookie who couldn’t really ramp things up until the season had already started.
"Carter last year missed all of OTAs, he missed all of training camp with injury, and that's valuable time, especially for a rookie, and he steps right in and I thought he did an admirable job," Jets head coach Robert Saleh said at the NFL owners’ meetings. "I'm not gonna say it was perfect, but you see signs of his footwork, his strength, you feel like if he can just put in an offseason, stay healthy, get stronger, then he'll take another jump, so there's a lot of promise in that individual. I like his mental makeup & his mindset, so there's hope that with a strong offseason he can do something."
Former Jets tackle and current ESPN NFL Analyst Damien Woody also believes he saw enough from Carter Warren in his rookie season to count on him to be a key factor in the Jets offensive line going forward.
I believe that while the Jets were not ready to hand a starting job to Warren this season, they are high enough on him to think he can fill in easily if and when Tyron Smith is unable to go.
It is likely that Warren might have even been the starting left tackle going into the season if the Jets weren’t dealing with a such a short window because of Aaron Rodgers. Had the Jets known for certain who their starting quarterback would be for 2025 and beyond, they may have given Warren a shot to cement himself as the left tackle of the future.
The simple fact is that Woody Johnson, or most Jets fans, wouldn’t allow someone who was drafted in the fourth-round and played just a few games to be trusted protecting the blind side of Aaron Rodgers. The Jets have a history of not allowing players to develop and only trusting those with high a draft status or a high price tag.
In reality, Warren is the perfect example of a player that the Jets need in order to be a successful franchise. Not every player on a roster needs to be a top selection or a high-priced free agent. You draft good players, develop them and then play them or you are always looking for a replacement.
How Does Warren Affect the Draft?
With Warren already set as the backup left tackle and even possibly the left tackle of the future, the Jets will likely pass on the position, especially early on, in the draft.
That does not mean the Jets will pass an offensive lineman with their first-round selection. Taliese Fuaga out of Oregon State is a natural right tackle and Troy Fautanu out of the University of Washington is a guard/tackle hybrid much like Alijah Vera-Tucker. But I would imagine Olu Fashanu, who is a natural left tackle, is likely off their list (Joe Alt can likely play left or right tackle, but I imagine he will be off the board by the time the Jets pick).
If the Jets truly believe in Warren, and most indication are that they do, then Joe Douglas and co. would be better served looking to improve the roster in other ways when they are on the clock later this month.
Jets GM may have revealed his first round draft plans in latest interview
Joe Douglas and co. have been hard at work this offseason trying to put together a team that will end the 13-year playoff drought, and maybe even compete for a Super Bowl in 2024. With a completely rebuilt offensive line and the additions of Mike Williams as the number two wide receiver and Javon Kinlaw […]
