New York Jets coach Robert Saleh knows the Jets aren’t going to be one of the AFC’s best teams if he can’t get the offense right.
That’s why Saleh ripped into his team, primarily the offensive line, and delivered a profanity-laced tirade, captured by the HBO show “Hard Knocks.”
Saleh was angry about the line’s effort during a 27-0 loss to Carolina, and it bothered him because the Jets ranked 25th in the NFL in total yards (318.2 yards) and rushing (99.2 yards per game), 27th in yards per play (5.94), 28th in third-down percentage (34.5) and 29th in points per game (17.4).
“It was our first (expletive) opportunity to change the stink that’s been in this organization for a very long time on the offensive side of the ball,” Saleh said during the episode.
“You can have a Hall of Fame quarterback. You can have two $10 million-plus receivers. You can have a reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. You can have all kinds of skills in the running back room. None of it (expletive) matters until the big boys up front change who the (expletive) we are.”
The Jets have doubled down on offense this offseason.
Strong offense key to New York Jets’ season
That’s why the Jets traded a bushel of draft picks for Aaron Rodgers, a future Hall of Fame quarterback, in the offseason. It’s why the Jets have used first-, second-, or third-round picks on seven skill-position players since he was hired in January 2021. Zack Wilson, the second player taken in the 2022 draft, struggled so much that the Jets gave up on him and acquired Rodgers.
Most of the premium picks the Jets have used on offensive players have worked out well, such as receivers Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore, and running back Breece Hall.
Heck, improving the offense is why the Jets signed Dalvin Cook, the best free-agent running back available, to a one-year deal worth as much as $8 million this week. Cook, who had offseason shoulder surgery, has had four consecutive 1,100-yard seasons.
Last week, he turned 28; the age of running backs declined dramatically, but the Jets believe he’s still an elite back. They also think teaming him with Bruce Hall, the 2022 second-round pick who tore his ACL last year, will make him even better.
“Obviously, very excited to add a good football player to this team,” said Saleh, “and he adds another dynamic to this group that I think anybody would be excited about.”
Rodgers took a significant pay cut when he restructured his contract a few weeks ago. At the time, Rodgers said he wanted to make sure the Jets had salary-cap room to add a quality player at the trade deadline.
The Jets made their move a few months early.
“You have to run the ball to win in this league. When a team becomes one-dimensional, that’s when defenses usually have the upper hand, so we need multiple guys to get it done,” Rodgers said. “Dalvin has got it done for a long time at a high level; he’s motivated, he wants to win a championship.
“Obviously, he made it well known to me during the process he wanted to play with me and play here, in Jersey, so we’re excited to have him, excited to get him in here.”
Injuries have affected the Jets’ offensive line.
Duane Brown, the team’s left tackle, has been on the PUP list. Alijah Vera-Tucker, their starting right guard, is dealing with an ankle injury, though it’s considered minor. Laken Tomlinson has a leg injury.
Rodgers said he’s not concerned about the offensive line’s development or continuity during the preseason.
“There are jobs up for grabs. So that’s the beauty in camp but also the struggle,” Rodgers said. “In talking with a couple of the guys, we just need some continuity, I think, at some point, so guys can feel comfortable playing together.
“Maybe that’s the end of next week. Maybe that’s the week that we have in between the season and the last preseason game, but jobs are up for grabs.”
Jean-Jacques Taylor is an NFL Insider for Sportsnaut and the author of the upcoming book “Coach Prime“, with Deion Sanders. Follow him on Twitter.