Primetime Jets

Edition #387

Good morning! ☀️

We have our schedule and apparently the powers that be believe the Jets are going to be worth watching.

We’re going to take some time to look at the schedule today, although when did the schedule release become such a big thing? Countless leaks, a primetime TV show dedicated just to the release. I’ll say this about the NFL, they absolutely love dragging things out, but by dragging them out they sure do know how to keep fans interested in the off-season.

First, let’s get to some quick throws.

📈 PFF offered up some extensive coverage for each team yesterday, going through the teams’ strengths and weaknesses as well as the X-Factors. The biggest strength for the Jets was listed as their pass rush, while the biggest weakness was the offensive line: “The Jets were an injury-riddled mess up front last year, especially after Alijah Vera-Tucker was lost for the season in Week 7. They were denied a first-round tackle in the draft and are now left with a group consisting of the oft-injured Mekhi Becton, 40-year-old Duane Brown, 2022 fourth-rounder Max Mitchell and, possibly, Vera-Tucker. They also need a bounce-back season from left guard Laken Tomlinson, who earned just a 56.8 overall grade last season.”

✖️ In that same article, they listed Mekhi Becton as the team’s x-factor: “General manager Joe Douglas’ first draft pick may be the most important player on the team this year. He has all the size and talent you could ask for in a left tackle and showed flashes of it during his rookie year in 2020 (74.4 overall grade). He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy over the past two years. Becton has one more chance to prove he’s a franchise tackle. If he does, he will greatly raise the ceiling of the Jets’ offense.”

✍️ The Jets officially announced the signing of former Seattle Seahawk defensive tackle Al Woods. A deal that was reported last week.

🚨 Field Yates confirmed that the Jets have released veteran offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, which is strange considering we recently re-signed him. I have to imagine the player requested his release following the signing of Billy Turner and the drafting of Carter Warren. I’m sure we’ll get some information soon, but this could be a case of Cedric wanting to go somewhere he’s more likely to play. That move will save the Jets just under $1 million on the cap this year.

📽️🎞️ The LA Chargers are renowned for their schedule release video every year and they absolutely nailed it again this year. You can see the full video HERE but check out this still for Times Square where they advertised their week 9 game against the Jets.

There are so many bits in here. NYJ Matt circled the infamous Tik Tok video on the right and the missing Manish Mehta poster on the left. We also have a little tip to the NY Sack Exchange on the bottom right, a small sign next to that advertising Geno Smith as the Comeback Player of the Year too. We have a little dig that the Jets actually play in New Jersey in the middle, a Zach Wilson cougars poster in the top right. Knicks fans will spot Trae Young in the bottom right, a player we pretty much universally hate after last year’s postseason. We have a reference to Rex Ryan’s famous snack quote in Hard Knocks in the bottom left and finally a reference to Aaron Rodger’s age in the top billboard “Out of GB, up in age”. Well done Chargers, well done.

🗓️ Let's have a look at the full schedule for the 2023 New York Jets. We knew the opponents, but now we know where and when.