With the 0-3 Jets coming off a bye week, Adam Gase is contemplating some changes up front.
New York’s offensive line has struggled mightily thus far, which is why the Jets head coach told the unit that this week’s practices will serve as an open competition to determine Sunday’s starters against the Eagles. Gase said that he plans on playing the five best linemen he’s got.
Gase told reporters on his Monday teleconference that the team is focusing on “who are the best five guys for us.”
So far, Kelvin Beachum, Kelechi Osemele, Ryan Kalil, Brian Winters and Brandon Shell haven’t been effective. They have routinely put all three of New York’s quarterbacks under duress, and the line hasn’t done much blocking for Le’Veon Bell, either.
Unfortunately for the Jets, the unit’s first game together was Week 1. They first began practicing together in Week 4 of the preseason due to injuries during the summer. The lack of time together is showing and the Jets have greatly suffered because of it. Communication breakdowns or lack thereof have been prominent in the Jets’ defeats. The team has no semblance of an offensive identity right now and one raising why is that Gang Green has failed to protect the passer.
It is unlikely that the Jets will make any major changes to the offensive line, but the most plausible option would be to replace Kalil with Jonotthan Harrison. Gase recently stressed that Kalil is “still not where he needs to be” and it’s evident that the center is not in tip-top form.
Kalil is the veteran of the group, so it’s on him to correct all the communication mistakes. However, his play may be the first mistake that Gase corrects as the Jets ponder changes on the offensive line in preparation for the Eagles on Sunday.
