Jets bolster OL depth with former draft pick Max Mitchell

The New York Jets made their first move on the offensive line of the offseason, bringing back former draft pick Max Mitchell on a one-year deal, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

A former Joe Douglas pick, the Jets selected Mitchell 111th overall in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Louisiana. Over his four-year career in New York, the 26-year-old has appeared in 46 games, starting 17.

Mitchell doesn't project to be a starter in 2026; he's likely to stay in the reserve, swing tackle role he's played over his short career. But depth is a necessity, and he certainly provides that for the Jets next season.

Max Mitchell returns to the Jets for fifth season

The 26-year-old is versatile. Despite mostly playing tackle throughout his career, Mitchell has also filled in at guard when needed.

Mitchell saw limited action last season, playing only 8% of offensive snaps, but if you think about that, it's actually a positive, considering the Jets' offensive line as a whole stayed incredibly healthy throughout the 2025 season.

Hopefully, for the sake of the Jets, Mitchell doesn't see much action in 2026 either.

To state the obvious, this isn't the final move Darren Mougey will make regarding the offensive line. With both John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker off to greener pastures, the Jets have a glaring hole at left guard. Mitchell is not going to fill that hole.

There are still several veterans available on the market, such as former Cleveland Browns interior offensive linemen Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, but their market may be too rich for New York's blood.

It's also a possibility that the Jets could target Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane with the 16th overall pick. The Nittany Lion is considered the best interior offensive lineman in the upcoming draft class.

Either way, New York is not done attacking the offensive trenches, and the Mitchell re-signing is just a small step in the direction of maintaining last year's overall solid group.