The NY Jets must sign Duane Brown after the Mekhi Becton injury

The NY Jets brought in veteran offensive tackle Duane Brown for a visit this weekend with the goal of bolstering their offensive tackle depth, but after the injury to Mekhi Becton, Brown would fill a much more important role for the team.

A five-time Pro Bowler, Brown remains the best available offensive tackle option on the open market as we approach the middle of August. And for a Jets team that suddenly needs a new starting tackle, his addition now feels like a must for the organization.

Becton re-injured his surgically-repaired right knee during Monday's practice and all signs point to the former first-round pick missing most if not all of the 2022 season.

His absence leaves the Jets scrambling for offensive tackle help with the likes of Conor McDermott, Chuma Edoga, and Max Mitchell now in line to start opposite George Fant, a player who's recovering from a knee injury of his own.

The Jets need a veteran tackle who could step in and provide stability along the offensive line. The Jets need Duane Brown.

Duane Brown is now a necessity for the NY Jets after the Mekhi Becton injury

A 15-year NFL veteran, Brown has been one of the NFL's best left tackles for the better part of the last decade. He's made five Pro Bowls, been named to an All-Pro team three times, and has been ranked in the top-10 offensive tackles in football by Pro Football Focus in six of the last 11 seasons.

Even at the age of 36 (he turns 37 later this month), Brown is coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he started all 17 games at left tackle for the Seattle Seahawks.

You aren't going to find any better options available on the open market at this stage of the offseason. With Becton now sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Jets need tackle depth more than ever.

There would be no excuse for trotting out McDermott, Edoga, or Mitchell at right tackle come Week 1. General manager Joe Douglas needs to do his part to protect Zach Wilson and the entire offense.

It should be noted that Brown has never played a snap at any position other than left tackle in his NFL career. Signing Brown would likely force George Fant to move back to right tackle, a decision that he might not be too happy with given his ongoing extension talks.

Still, the Jets don't have many options at this point. Duane Brown is their best bet.

The initial thought behind bringing in Brown was to add depth to a thin tackle depth chart, but Brown is no longer a luxury. Now, he's a necessity.