The New York Jets spent the offseason trying to build an offense capable of taking pressure off Geno Smith while opening opportunities for Breece Hall and the rest of the team's playmakers. That plan depends heavily on what happens in the trenches, making Pro Football Focus' latest assessment of their offensive line worth a closer look.
The Jets' offensive line isn't among the NFL's elite in Pro Football Focus's eyes, at least not yet. PFF recently released its updated rankings of all 32 offensive lines following the opening week of the season, and the Jets landed at No. 19. That placed New York in the bottom half of the league, but the explanation accompanying the ranking offered plenty of reason for optimism.
The Jets' projected starting five
consists of Olu Fashanu at left tackle, Dylan Parham at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Joe Tippmann at right guard, and Armand Membou at right tackle. PFF specifically pointed to the potential of Fashanu and Membou as one of the biggest reasons for optimism surrounding the unit.
The tackles are giving the Jets reason to believe
Fashanu and Membou were New York's best pass-blockers in the Week 1 victory over Tennessee, according to PFF, with Membou allowing no pressure. PFF also highlighted Parham's work in the running game, noting that he produced a positively graded play on 32.4% of his run-blocking snaps compared with a negatively graded play rate of just 2.7%.
Those numbers matter because the Jets spent much of the offseason emphasizing the importance of improving the protection in front of Geno Smith. The Week 1 performance provided an early indication that the offensive line can give Smith enough time to operate while also creating opportunities for the running game.
There is still plenty of room for the group to improve, particularly in the interior, but the foundation may be stronger than the No. 19 ranking suggests.
The Jets' O-line ranked third among AFC East teams
New York also landed behind two division rivals in PFF's rankings. The Buffalo Bills came in sixth, while the New England Patriotswere 11th. The Miami Dolphins were the division's lowest-ranked unit at No. 25, leaving the Jets third among AFC East teams. That's a respectable position for a group that is still developing its identity, especially considering how much of the Jets' offseason optimism centered on the tackle pairing.
The most encouraging part of PFF's evaluation is that the ranking doesn't read like a dismissal of the Jets' offensive line. It reads more like a group that has the pieces to become significantly better as the season progresses. For now, No. 19 is where the Jets stand. If Fashanu and Membou continue to perform the way they did in Week 1 while the interior becomes more consistent, New York may not remain in the bottom half of PFF's rankings for long.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Where does PFF rank the Jets' offensive line into Week 2?
