5 reasons to be nervous about the NY Jets in 2023

2. The NY Jets' offensive line

This has been a concern all offseason, and while the arrow finally seems to be pointing up, the Jets' offensive line is still volatile entering the 2023 season. That's primarily due to the uncertain health of the unit.

Duane Brown is 38 years old and is coming off major offseason shoulder surgery. He missed pretty much the entire summer and has had very little time to mesh with his fellow starters.

Then we have Mekhi Becton, who, despite his incredible progress this offseason, has started just one game over the last two years. It's difficult to know what to expect from the former first-round pick.

If everything clicks, this Jets' offensive line has a chance to be really good, but there is just far too much uncertainty with the unit to feel confident entering the season.

1. The NY Jets are in a very difficult conference

Even if everything goes right for the Jets in 2023 — even if Aaron Rodgers returns to his pre-2022 form, the offensive line clicks, and the defense continues to dominate — there is no guarantee that the Jets will be able to reach the promised land.

Football is unpredictable, and the Jets are unfortunate enough to reside in one of the most stacked conferences in recent memory. The AFC is loaded with talented teams and, more specifically, talented quarterbacks.

One of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence, or Deshaun Watson will miss the postseason this year. There are just too many good quarterbacks for everyone to make the playoffs.

And even if the Jets make the postseason, getting past the likes of Mahomes, Allen, and Burrow isn't an easy task. Just look at the Buffalo Bills for an example of a great team that has been unable to get over the hump due to a stacked conference and some poor luck.

The Jets have a great team on paper, but anything can happen in the NFL. Their outlook on the 2023 season would look much better if they were in the weaker NFC. That's just the reality of their situation.