After a busy start to the offseason, the New York Jets have made one of the smartest moves of free agency by signing Tyron Smith, the veteran offensive tackle.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton shared the smartest offseason move for all 32 NFL teams on Thursday, March 21. For the Jets, Moton mentioned what made the Jets signing the former All-Pro tackle such a smart move for the franchise.
“Smith can lock down the left tackle spot while the Jets develop a top prospect at the position to succeed him in the near future,” Moton said. “If the veteran misses time, Gang Green can get an early look at the rookie as he gets valuable playing experience. As long as Smith stays healthy, he’ll be a solid investment in keeping Rodgers upright.”
As 40-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to rehab from a torn achilles suffered in Week 1 of last season, investing in a star left tackle will ideally help keep the future Hall of Famer on his feet for the 2024 season.
Tyron Smith Is a Hall of Fame Tackle
As someone who came into the NFL with sky-high expectations, Smith has done nothing but live up to those expectations over the course of an iconic career spanning over a decade.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Smith with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He became a mainstay on the team’s offensive line, starting at least 13 games every year for the first nine seasons.
Hamstring, neck, and ankle injuries hurt Smith’s ability to stay on the field over the last few seasons. However, he was able to return to form in 2023, playing in 13 games and earning second-team All-Pro honors.
The 33-year-old left tackle has racked up tons of accolades during his time in Dallas. Those include two first-team All-Pro selections, three second-team selections, eight Pro Bowl appearances, and a selection onto the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
Now, Smith will be looking to write another chapter with the Jets before he ultimately decides to hang up his cleats and make his push towards the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A Vastly-Improved Jets Offensive Line
After offensive line issues throughout the past few seasons, the Jets made an effort to reinforce the unit to see what their offense is capable of in 2024.
Along with signing Smith, the Jets traded draft picks to the Baltimore Ravens to reunite with veteran right tackle Morgan Moses. The 33-year-old previously played with the Jets in 2021 before spending the last two seasons in Baltimore.
Moses will also be experiencing another reunion of his own after New York signed free agent offensive guard John Simpson to a two-year, $12 million deal. The two offensive linemen previously played with each other during the last two seasons with the Ravens.
Those three moves in Smith, Moses, and Simpson could completely revamp a struggling Jets offensive line, but there’s also a chance that they’re not done yet. General manager Joe Douglas could also look for long-term help at the position in the 2024 NFL Draft, particularly in the first round with a prospect like Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga or Georgia’s Amarius Mims.
Regardless, New York’s offensive line looks significantly different than it did just a few weeks ago.
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