The Jets’ new-look offensive line was whole for the first time during team drills on Wednesday.
New left tackle Duane Brown joined the first unit for the first time since signing with the Jets two weeks ago in the wake of Mekhi Becton’s season-ending knee injury.
“It was awesome to get the whole frontline working together, first time all year, and it was really good,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “I’m sure it felt good for [Brown] for his first couple of reps, and we’ll continue to ramp him up. … He’s in phenomenal shape, so I’m not worried about his ability to go for a full game. It’s just a matter of getting the football plays in. He’s very familiar with the scheme, so it was awesome to get them all together.”
Saleh said Brown would play Sunday in the preseason finale against the Giants, as will all of the Jets’ starters. The coach has yet to determine how long the starters will play, but he said it will be at least one quarter and possibly as much as a half.
A five-time Pro Bowler, the 36-year-old Brown’s addition moved George Fant over to right tackle.
The Jets’ Connor McGovern (60), Caleb Benenoch (65), Alijah Vera-Tucker (75), Duane Brown (68), Dan Feeney (67) and Chris Glaser (64) during practice. Bill Kostroun/New York PostThe competition to be the Jets’ No. 2 cornerback has yet to be determined, Saleh said. Rookie Sauce Gardner and Bryce Hall remain in a battle for the spot, though Hall struggled Monday in a preseason game against the Falcons.
“He’s had a really nice camp, and like I said in my press conference after the game, I don’t want one day to define him,” Saleh said of Hall, who is entering his third year in the league.
Gardner, the fourth-overall pick in the draft, is the heavy favorite to win the job, though he is still splitting first-team reps with Hall in practice.
The Jets and Giants on Thursday will have their first joint scrimmage since 2005. That year, a bunch of fights broke out. Saleh hopes to avoid those shenanigans and that the scrimmage will become an annual tradition between the two teams.
“I mean, it makes sense,” Saleh said. “They’re right down the street. We have preseason games with them every year. If we all do it the right way, I think we can all benefit for a very long time.”
