Jets Offensive Line A Drag on Rodgers? (2 Viewers)

[goffforit]

Aaron Rodgers has not played for a team with a below-average offensive line since 2009. The Packers have almost always had excellent offensive lines throughout the Aughts and 20s. A couple of years, they ranked #1 in the league in PFF pass-blocking grade. You have to go back to 2009, Rodgers’ fifth year in the league and second as a starter, to see him play behind the #20 offensive line.

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That year, he played well; he threw for 4,434 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions, with the lowest interception percentage (1.3%) in the league. But he did get sacked a league-leading 50 times.


Now we’ll see if Rodgers, at age 40, looks as good behind a poor-quality offensive line. The consensus between Pro Football Network, Pro Football Focus, and Sharp Football Analysis is that the Jets' o-line ranks between #21 and #24.

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The line, which allowed pressure on 7.0% of dropbacks last year, has right tackle Mekhi Becton returning from injury, and they have a rookie second-round pick, Joe Tippmann, coming in at center, but left tackle Duane Brown is turning 38.

Rodgers could make the offensive line look better. He has a good pocket presence, and he can get the ball out quickly. Amongst QBs with over 380 dropbacks last season, Rodgers had the ninth-fastest time from snap to throw—2.67 seconds—and he had a 2.59-second time to throw in 2021.

Can Aaron Rodgers Function Behind a Poor Quality Offensive Line?

Rodgers has been protected for most of his career.

mitchspicks.com

 

[CletiusMaximus]

This is odd for me because for many years now I've heard that the only way to support a quarterback is by drafting wide receivers in the first round. Now that Rodgers has moved to a team who is supportive of his needs, we're being told an offensive line and running game can help a QB? Its odd because when the Packers went all-in with two pro bowl OLs including the highest paid LT in the history of football, drafted AJ Dillon and broke the bank to keep Aaron Jones, all we heard about was the WRs. And now that Valdez-Scantling has won a superbowl, D. Adams is widely recognized as one of the best WR's in the game and the Jets signed Allan Lazard to a big contract, it seems the narrative has shifted to claim something other than first round WR's are necessary for an HoF QB to be good.

 

[TLEF316]

I made a post in another thread about this topic. Yeah...there's a lot of uncertainty here.

They have an all-pro caliber player at RG in AVT. Coming back from injury but an absolute rock solid stud.
Laken Tomlinson was very poor at LG last year given what they paid for him. He's still youngish so he COULD bounce back. But right now, you have to treat him as a below average starter for evaluation purposes.

Although they drafted Tippman, he's been running with the 3rd team in practice. Very unlikely he starts week 1. McGovern came back on a cheap deal and has been a solid (if unspectacular) starter the past 2 years.

Tackle is the obvious issue because everyone has red flags.

Brown was an absolute class act last year playing through the injury (He could have EASILY just taken the $$ and gotten much needed surgery last year. But he gutted out the season with a wrecked shoulder). But at 38 , expecting anything better than average LT play is probably a stretch.

Becton has missed 2 years and hasn't looked good in camp (based on the reports I've seen). He played well as a rookie (EXCELLENT run blocker, had some hiccups in pass protection) but you simply cant count on him. Sadly....anything you get is gravy

Mitchell held up well for a small school 4th rounder unexpectedly thrown into the mix. But if he's a starter this year, its very unlikely he grades out above average.

IMO, the other guys in the mix (Cajuste and Turner) are JAG's at best and would provide well-below average play at either tackle spot. They also drafted a kid from Pitt in the 4th round, but I'm sure the play is a red-shirt year.


IMO, the best case week 1 scenario is Brown, Tomlinson, McGovern, AVT and Becton as the RT (he backtracked a little on his previous comments about not wanting to play there. We'll see what happens tonight against Cleveland).

In theory, if EVERYTHING breaks right (Becton staying healthy, Tomlinson bouncing back a little, Brown staying healthy and giving you average play) you could have 1 elite piece (AVT) 2 above average pieces (Becton and Tomlinson) and 2 average to slightly below average pieces (38 year old Brown and McGovern)

That's asking a lot (As I dont believe Becton will stay healthy and I think there's a decent chance Tomlinson is washed) but its not impossible.

I think (as long as AVT stays healthy. He's that important) they'll hold up well enough for Rodgers to be effective. And they have a little depth if someone goes down. If this wasn't a super bowl or bust season, I would hope they'd roll with a Becton, Tomlinson, Tippman, AVT, Mitchell line and just see what they have in that younger group. But we all know that's not going to happen week 1 (nor should it)