5 NY Jets starters who are likely gone after the 2023 season

1. Duane Brown, OT, NY Jets

The soon-to-be 38-year-old Duane Brown has nothing left to prove in the NFL. He's a five-time Pro Bowler, multi-time All-Pro, and is entering his 16th season as a professional. That's as impressive of a resume as any player on the Jets roster.

He's also coming off an injury-riddled 2022 season that saw him play essentially the entire year with a torn labrum. Brown was forced to strap his injured shoulder into a harness each game, telling reporters after the season that he played through immense pain.

This is why the Jets weren't sure if Brown would return for another season. The former first-round pick could have simply called it quits on a remarkable career. Instead, he came back because he wants to win.

Brown is penciled in as the likely Week 1 starting left tackle entering the 2023 season. He might be competing with Mekhi Becton on paper, but if Brown is healthy, all signs point to him starting at left tackle.

His future, however, is a little less certain. Brown is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the year, and given his age and recent injury woes, it's probably a safe bet to assume he won't be back in 2024.

The best-case scenario would see Becton slide into the starting left tackle role next season, with someone like Max Mitchell taking over at right tackle.

Perhaps that's a bit optimistic, but either way, Brown should not be viewed as a likely starting option next season. It's most likely this year is his last opportunity to win a Super Bowl, at least with the Jets.