NY Jets 'not confident' in OT depth entering 2024 NFL Draft

The NY Jets have worked hard to overhaul their starting offensive line this offseason, acquiring three new starters to help revamp a unit that was among the worst in football last season.

The Jets signed future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith, acquired rock-solid right tackle Morgan Moses in a bargain of a trade, and signed ascending left guard John Simpson to pair with returning starters Alijah Vera-Tucker and Joe Tippmann.

The result is a starting offensive line that, on paper and if healthy, has the potential to be a top-10 unit in 2024. The team's depth behind them is suspect, however.

ESPN's Rich Cimini reported on Sunday that the Jets "don't seem to have an abundance of confidence" in Carter Warren and Max Mitchell, the team's two backup tackles at the moment.

This confirms what he noted on the TOJ Podcast with Will Parkinson last week when he wasn't particularly complimentary about how the Jets feel about Warren, in particular.

The NY Jets likely want to address their OT depth in the draft

It's fair for the Jets to be concerned about the state of their offensive tackle depth. Mitchell took a step back in his second NFL season while Warren allowed sacks at a higher rate than Mekhi Becton, who led all NFL offensive tackles in sacks allowed.

Neither Mitchell nor Warren should be seen as a viable top swing tackle option entering the 2024 season. While there may still be some untapped potential, specifically with Warren whose rookie season was derailed by an early injury, the Jets need more stability at the position.

That's especially true given the fact that Smith hasn't appeared in more than 13 games in a season since 2015, not to mention that Moses is coming off offseason shoulder surgery.

This likely means that offensive tackle is very much in play for the Jets in the first round. The expectation would be that whoever the Jets draft at that spot would play at some point in their rookie season — possibly for an extended period of time.

Counting on Smith and Moses to each play full seasons would be foolish. At the moment, the Jets are one injury away from trotting out Warren or Mitchell to protect Aaron Rodgers. That's not a winning formula.

The Jets aren't particularly thrilled with their offensive tackle depth, much as many fans aren't. Expect the team to address the position at some point in this month's draft, quite possibly as early as the first round.