As New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh expressed, “You can have a Hall of Fame quarterback (Aaron Rodgers), two $10 million-plus receivers, a reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, and all kinds of skill in the running back room. None of it matters until the big boys up front change who we are.”
That was Coach Saleh’s message to his team, as heard in episode two of HBO’s Hard Knocks. Yet, for the Jets, it’s not that simple, as injuries have provided more complications. Tuesday’s joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had Rodgers operating behind a makeshift offensive line. One that was without left tackle Duane Brown and two offensive guards in Laken Tomlinson plus Alijah Vera-Tucker.
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Indications from Jets training camp suggested the offensive unit had its fair share of struggles, with Rodgers reportedly throwing seven consecutive incompletions at one point. Reached for comment following practice, Rodgers wasn’t as upset as some might think, but there were plenty of hints of impatience too.
“I was thinking maybe we’d start to figure some stuff out. Obviously it hasn’t happened yet. There’s jobs up for grabs. That’s the beauty of camp, but also the struggle. In talking with a couple of guys, we just need some continuity at some point.”
Aaron Rodgers on state of New York Jets’ offensive line
Reading Rodgers’ comments, it’s not hard to see some discontent, but hearing him speak provides a much different tone. This doesn’t sound like someone who’s too upset with the progress of his teammates thus far.
Rodgers’ point about needing some continuity is fair. Being able to gain a stronger understanding of knowing your teammates’ strengths and weaknesses as well as experiencing their tendencies can really only be done in the trenches. It’s not something they’ll learn on film or by studying the playbook. But from the sound of Rodgers’ comments, he’s not too concerned just yet.
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