The New York Jets addressed a major hole in their offensive today with the signing of five-time Pro Bowler Duane Brown.
On Thursday afternoon, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the news on Twitter of the Jets’ acquisition of some much-needed help for their ailing offensive line.
“Sources: Five-time Pro-Bowl OT Duane Brown is signing with the New York Jets, who lost OT Mekhi Becton earlier this week to a likely season-ending knee injury.”
report on jets signing duane brown
In a follow-up tweet, Schefter revealed that the agreement with Gang Green is a two-year deal. The financial terms of the deal had not yet been made public. Brown played his last three seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and earned an average yearly salary of $11.5 million (via Spotrac).
Related: New York Jets Mekhi Becton has a fractured knee cap, expected to miss 2022 season
The chance of a deal materializing grew earlier this week when the 14-year veteran was in town to talk with Jets brass about joining the roster. The acquisition almost became a necessity yesterday following the announcement of a season-ending injury to right tackle Mekhi Becton.
Why New York Jets signing Duane Brown is a big deal
The Jets pretty much had to sign Duane Brown if they hoped for a strong performance from their offense and starting quarterback Zach Wilson in 2022. Tuesday’s injury to Mekhi Becton’s surgically repaired knee very well could have been a death blow to the offense if the team did not find a solid replacement.
While Becton was set to play right tackle instead of left this season, he was still expected to be an anchor talent in a key position in the starting five. In Brown, the Jets certainly get a player that’s long in the tooth at 36. However, he is still a high-level talent at either tackle position, after making the Pro Bowl for Seattle last season, and could be seen as an upgrade on Becton and LT George Fant.
Brown has played in double-digit games in every season of his career and played a full season in eight of those years.