New York Jets: 2018 NFL Draft should be about offensive line
Everyone is gaga over Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold, but the New York Jets should be primarily concerned with getting offensive linemen in the upcoming draft.
Fans have seen the New York Jets pass on quarterbacks like Dan Marino and Tom Brady. They want the Jets to finally have a franchise quarterback. It would be great to get a franchise quarterback, but in today’s NFL game, if there’s a ready-to-play offensive lineman in the draft, you can’t pass him up — period.
Most would say that the offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys is one of the best in the NFL. Four of the five starters were first-round picks, and two of those four were top-10 picks, albeit one was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals seventh overall in the 2013 NFL Draft (Jonathan Cooper).
The Jets had Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson on their offensive line for a long time, but they neglected to find suitable replacements for them. Now, they may have to skip on a quarterback in a quarterback-rich draft to remedy the issue that has arisen.
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Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold may end up being great quarterbacks. Saying they should pass on the quarterbacks in this draft isn’t about talent or even the abilities of the quarterbacks to translate to the next level.
Frankly, it’s on the organization for not drafting linemen at all early in past drafts. In the last eight drafts, they have owned 59 draft picks. They drafted eight offensive linemen, but none earlier than 61st overall. All of their selections in the top-60 from 2010-14 are either not on the team or no longer in the NFL. Those picks included: Stephen Hill, Quinton Coples, Geno Smith, Sheldon Richardson and Dee Milliner.
In fact, the last time the Jets used a first round pick on an offensive lineman was 2006. That year they had two first-round picks, and they were Ferguson (fourth overall) and Mangold (29th overall).
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After five weeks of play, Pro Football Focus Edge ranks the Jets offensive line second-worst in the NFL. They gave them an average grade of 46.8 out of 100. That’s not good at all. Say what you will about the quarterback play for Gang Green. Until they get the offensive line right, it won’t matter.