New York Jets GM Joe Douglas has proven to be all about the offensive line. The rebuild is still far from over and Jason Peters is available.
According to Mike Garafolo and James Palmer of the NFL Network, the New York Jets are one of the team’s lurking around former Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters.
From NFL Now on @nflnetwork: 38-year-old Jason Peters has recently told friends if Tom Brady can play into his 40s, so can he. The #Eagles have remained in contact with him as other teams (@JamesPalmerTV mentioned the #Browns, #Jets and #Broncos) lurk. pic.twitter.com/cxWq9qGmwI
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 12, 2020
The 38-year-old Peters is in contact with a number of teams. The Eagles being the most prevalent. The Jets are joined by the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos as teams keeping an eye on the situation.
Joe Douglas has already added two tackles this offseason in Mekhi Becton and George Fant. It’s hard to see him adding a third in the veteran Jason Peters.
That said, Peters was his usual excellent self when he was healthy in 2019. Peters allowed just three sacks and was called for six penalties in 2019. However, a knee injury limited Peters to 13 games.
Injuries to the knee at his age are common for offensive linemen. It becomes harder for their bodies to support their weight and getting into a ready stance only makes that worse. It could be a sign of an injury-riddled future, which is why Peters is still available in May.
It’s tempting for the Jets to make a run at Peters and stick him at left tackle. This is a make-or-break year for Sam Darnold, entrusting the two tackle spots to unproven players is nerve-wracking. A proven stud like Peters could alleviate those worries.
The issue is then either Becton would sit on the bench or the pricey free agent Fant would have to sit. The Jets invested too much in the pair for one of them to be a backup.
It’s much more likely that Douglas wants to see if Peters’ price drops to the point he’d be willing to be a backup. It would be hard to find a better veteran mentor and a swing tackle then Peters.
