Jets offensive line will have its hands full at joint practice with Buccaneers

The New York Jets will face their first external competition of the offseason this week, when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at their Florham Park headquarters for back-to-back joint practices on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It will be a good measuring stick for this Jets squad, who are hoping to be in the mix for a playoff spot towards the end of the 2026 season. Tampa Bay was a fringe playoff contender this past season.

Multiple Jets position groups will be able to get some quality experience against some of the Buccaneers' best units. For example, David Bailey will get a great chance to measure his development as he rushes against All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.

But one competition Jets fans should keep their eyes on is Armand Membou and the rest of New York's offensive line against the Buccaneers' pass rush, which is one of head coach Todd Bowles' pride and joy.

New York Jets offensive line will be tested by Tampa Bay Buccaneers heavy pass rush

Now, Tampa Bay's pass rush wasn't the best unit in the NFL last season. They finished with 37 total sacks, tied for the 10th-most in the league with the Las Vegas Raiders.

But they are one of the most blitz-heavy teams in the league, thanks to Bowles' aggressive defensive scheme. Jets fans should be well aware of this, considering his tenure as head coach in New York from 2015 to 2018.

According to FTN Fantasy, the Buccaneers blitzed on 37.6% of their defensive snaps in 2025, third most in the league behind only the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs.

Tampa Bay will surely dust off some of their blitz packages in joint practice this week, and it will be on the Jets' offensive line to pick them up and "protect" Geno Smith. (Neither team will be allowed to touch opposing quarterbacks.)

Despite the Buccaneers not boasting the most efficient pass rush unit, it will still be a challenge for the Jets' offensive line to communicate with one another to pick up rushers and keep the pocket clean.

Star defensive tackle Vita Vea isn't currently practicing. He's dealing with a minor back injury and also has a trade demand on the table with the Bucs' front office. His absence will surely make life easier on the interior of the Jets' offensive line.

Still, the Jets will have their hands full when the Buccaneers come to town this week, and the competition in the trenches will be one of the top battles to watch.

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