Jets should smell blood as Packers plan massive offensive line change

There is nothing the New York Jets' defense would love to see more than a team that has no idea what its starting offensive line is going to look like, and the Green Bay Packers may provide the Jets an opportunity after how poorly that unit performed in Week 1.

With high-priced left guard Aaron Banks on the mend, Green Bay was forced to turn to 2024 fifth-rounder Jacob Monk and undrafted free agent Donovan Jennings against the Minnesota Vikings. Unsurprisingly, both of them were routinely torched, so much so that Green Bay may put second-year lineman Anthony Belton in the firing line.

Belton, who trained all offseason to be a tackle and struggled when called into action during his rookie season at right guard, may end up playing guard as Packers OC Adam Stenavich tries to find their "best five" up front. After one week, Green Bay is playing tackles at guard and forcing subpar backups into starting roles. This should be music to the Jets' ears.

New York Jets could take advantage of Packers' big offensive line changes before Week 2

Monk's 54.9 Pro Football Focus grade, good for 45th out of 66 qualified guards, was unsightly enough, but Jennings was even worse. Only one player at his position in the NFL had a worse grade than Jennings' 39.3 mark against the Minnesota Vikings. Center Sean Rhyan's 32.8 pass-block grade at center certainly won't help things.

Right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele is one of the best in the game at his position, but one player alone can't make up for a lack of cohesion, especially against a Jets team with this level of defensive line depth.

The Jets did not hold back against a Titans offensive line that was starting free-agent bust Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle and fifth-round rookie Fernando Carmona at right guard. Will McDonald, Kingsley Enagbare, and No. 2 pick David Bailey each recorded a sack. This week, the interior defensive line might be able to feast.

The New York Jets' defensive line could be in for a big Week 2

T'Vondre Sweat was limited to just 15 snaps in his Jets debut, but the run-stuffing DT was not as needed when the Titans didn't even try to get the ground game going and dropped back as often as they did. Against what is already a thin unit in what promises to be a more competitive game, Sweat could really strut his stuff.

The Jets chose to start two veteran run stuffers in David Onyemata and Harrison Phillips over 2025 breakout star Jowon Briggs, who managed just 10 snaps against Tennessee. This could be the perfect game for Briggs to possibly break out, especially if Green Bay wants to test the Jets' secondary and throw the ball plenty.

The Jets may need to lean on the formula that helped them dominate Tennessee if they want to pull off the upset of Green Bay. That philosophy is based on controlling the ball and winning the line of scrimmage on defense. With the Packers' line falling apart, they could serve as quite the launching pad for a defensive line that started the season as well as one could have hoped.

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