New York Jets meet with former first-round pick in attempt to fix offensive line

Heading into the season, even with a then-healthy Aaron Rodgers, the offensive line was always a concern for the New York Jets, especially if they want to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1968. It took just four snaps for the team’s offensive line woes to hit home, with Rodgers ruled out for the season following his Achilles injury.

Rodgers may hold out hope of making an improbable late-season comeback, but no matter what, he can’t help patch up an offensive line that ranks 18th among 32 units, according to Pro Football Focus. In Week 1, PFF had the Jets marked with the second-worst pass-blocking efficiency in the league.

Offensive lines always need time to gel and get on the same page with one another, and there’s a chance former first-round pick Mekhi Becton continues to improve, but he and 38-year-old left tackle Duane Brown still combined to allow seven of the team’s 13 pressures in Week 1. That’s not ideal for any team, let alone one with plans of making a deep playoff run.

However, the Jets aren’t just sitting on their hands as time passes. They’re working out linemen who may be able to improve the team’s depth in the short term. That includes meeting with the 11th pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, D.J. Fluker.

Fluker, 32, has played for four different NFL teams in his eight-year career, including a one-season stint with the New York Giants, who share MetLife Stadium with the Jets, giving Fluker familiarity with the digs in East Rutherford. He’s started 96 of 108 career games he’s played.

But Fluker hasn’t played an NFL game since 2020, when he played all 16 games, starting eight at right tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. He also has extensive experience playing right guard, providing versatility at both positions.

Fluker graded poorly in 2020, with a 63.8 overall player grade per PFF, who also charted him with an abysmal 57.5 pass block grade but a slightly above-average run block grade of 67.9. For now, he’s just someone the Jets wanted to get a closer look at, but he just might be the next player to join the squad, depending on how the workout went.