The New York Jets dipped into the lowest tier of offensive linemen in free agency to fill their hole at guard. Alex Lewis returns for 2020.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the New York Jets have agreed to a three-year, $18.6 million contract with guard Alex Lewis.
Source: Jets agreed to terms on a 3-year, $18.6M deal with OL Alex Lewis
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaSports) March 17, 2020
This is the second time Jets general manager Joe Douglas has gone to the bottom of the barrel to fix his offensive line issues this offseason. Neither Lewis nor George Fant have been full-time starters in their careers. Both have been backups who have seen some starter duty.
Now, both are expected to be starters along the left side of the offensive line. This a Jets fans’ worst nightmare. They seem on pace to have a worse offensive line then they had in 2019, something that seemed impossible.
Instead of upgrading at tackle and guard, the team downgraded at tackle and retained their guard. This is a sure-fire way to make one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL from a year ago even worse.
The Jets needed to build around Sam Darnold. Instead, they’re building a team that seems built to tank. Douglas has signed two backups to play starter roles on deals with only one-year guaranteed.
Those look like rebuilding moves more than anything else. Has Joe Douglas given up on Sam Darnold and the 2020 season? Is he ready to move onto the next phase?
That seems ridiculous given the team’s 6-2 finish in 2019 and Darnold’s impressive stats with a clean pocket. Yet, that’s exactly the picture Douglas is painting with his moves so far.
It’s a shocking development and should strike fear in the hearts of Jets fans hoping for a strong 2020 season.
