NY Jets: 5 takeaways from first unofficial depth chart
By Mason Smoller
1. Battle for right tackle of the NY Jets
Late in the off-season, the Jets inked former Washington Football Team starting right tackle Morgan Moses to a deal. Many assumed he would immediately take the position from George Fant. Instead, the team has another idea.
Fant, who only recently began practicing again after missing time on the Reserve/COVID-19, is listed along with Moses for the first-team offense. And for good reason too.
Entering year two with the Jets, Fant is familiar with the team. His athleticism is perfect for offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur’s outsize zone run/play-action heavy offense. Not to mention, Fant started a career-high 14 games for the Jets last season.
At the same time, this is Morgan Moses. The 30-year-old has started every game since 2015 and is one of the top right tackles in the game. After his 79.9 overall grade from PFF ranked 18th among tackles last season, getting him as a free agent is an absolute steal.
Listen, it would be nice if George Fant could play up to the three-year, $30-million deal he signed last off-season. Especially considering New York could have saved money this off-season had they cut him.
Nevertheless, Fant is with the team and has not officially lost the starting job to Moses. Until he does, they will be neck and neck fighting for the right tackle gig. It may not be the flashiest of competitions but given this is a battle to determine who will be blocking for rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, it is the most important one moving forward.