NY Jets OL receives massive injury update during Friday's practice

The NY Jets have been forced to deal with an abnormal amount of offensive line injuries over the last few seasons, and many of those injury issues began before the season even started. The Jets haven't had their starting offensive line work together in the summer for years. Until now that is.

That's because starting right tackle Morgan Moses officially returned to team drills on Friday, marking the first time that all five projected starting offensive linemen were able to play together.

Moses has been sidelined rehabbing offseason shoulder surgery, and while he's been at practice and taking part in individual drills, Friday was the first day that he practiced fully. That's a massive step in the right direction for the Jets' new-look offensive line.

There are, of course, some genuine injury concerns to worry about with this unit. The Jets are playing it safe with Tyron Smith, given his extensive injury history. Alijah Vera-Tucker is also coming off a torn Achilles.

But if all goes according to plan, the Jets' starting offensive line should have a little over a month to work together and develop chemistry before the start of the regular season. That's significant news for the organization.

Morgan Moses gives the NY Jets a healthy and complete offensive line

While the loss of Aaron Rodgers undoubtedly derailed the Jets' 2023 season, so too did the decimation of the team's offensive line. The Jets were forced to play 14 different players on their offensive line last year.

General manager Joe Douglas made revamping the offensive line a priority for the Jets this offseason, trading for Moses in addition to signing the likes of future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith and new left guard John Simpson.

The hope is that this offensive line can be a legitimate strength for the Jets in 2024, but they'll need a clean bill of health for that to happen. It also helps a ton to have over a month to develop chemistry before Week 1 arrives.

Last summer, projected starting left tackle Duane Brown was sidelined essentially until the start of the regular season. Mekhi Becton flip-flopped between left and right tackle. Vera-Tucker switched positions multiple times. Even rookie center Joe Tippmann got his first NFL start as a guard before Connor McGovern's injury.

It's impossible to develop chemistry and mesh as a unit with so much position switching and rotating starters. That's why Moses's return on Friday is such a big deal.

The Jets have a completely healthy starting offensive line in practice, and if all goes well, those five players will have five weeks to develop a rapport ahead of the regular season. The importance of that cannot be overstated.

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