The Jets are finally pulling Greg Van Roten from the starting lineup.
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif will start at right guard on Sunday against the Dolphins, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. Duvernay-Tardif was acquired just before the trade deadline in a deal with the Chiefs and briefly made his Jets debut last week on special teams.
Duvernay-Tardif has not played on the offensive line or started since 2019. He opted out of the 2020 season to work as a doctor battling COVID-19 on the frontlines of the pandemic in Canada. The 30-year-old Quebec native was the first NFL player to opt out. He returned this season but broke his hand in training camp and subsequently fell out of Kansas City’s rotation.
A Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs, Duvernay-Tardif started 57 games from 2015-2019. He waived his no-trade clause to join the Jets in search of a chance to play. New York sent backup TE Daniel Brown to Kansas City. The Chiefs waived Brown on Saturday.
Van Roten, meanwhile, has struggled all season. He has allowed 32 pressures this year, the most among right guards, per Jets X-Factor’s Michael Nania. Van Roten recently acknowledged that Duvernay-Tardif could challenge him for his job. Now the former Chief has taken it, at least for Week 11.
