The inside offensive lineman market was booming to start out NFL free company, and the New York Jets lastly joined the fray late Monday evening after they agreed to signal Baltimore Ravens guard John Simpson to a two-year deal value as much as $18 million.
The Athletic’s Randy Mueller is excessive on Simpson on this free company class, rating him 18th general and second amongst guards, behind Jon Runyan. Mueller wrote that Simpson “performs with the energy and physicality of an old-school guard” and that he “strikes defenders” within the move recreation and run recreation. Simpson isn’t coming off his finest season, however the Jets desperately wanted some offensive line assist.
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How he suits: Simpson will slot in because the beginning left guard, changing Laken Tomlinson, whom the Jets lower for cap financial savings earlier than free company … after which used most of these financial savings to signal his substitute. Simpson signed onto the Ravens follow squad in 2022 after which labored his manner into changing into a full-time starter by 2023, beginning all 17 video games for the workforce with one of the best regular-season file.
Simpson has solely two seasons as a starter underneath his belt and is younger (26), so clearly Jets common supervisor Joe Douglas noticed an ascending expertise who might be additive to an offensive line in determined want of upgrades. On paper, although, Simpson isn’t coming off a fantastic season. Professional Soccer Focus ranked him forty sixth of 65 guards to play a minimum of 500 snaps final season and he was penalized the second-most (11) of any guard. He ranked twenty fourth amongst guards in pass-block win fee, per ESPN, and 67th in run-block win fee. By comparability, Tomlinson was thirty fifth in pass-block win fee.
Simpson allowed just one sack and three quarterback hits in 644 pass-blocking snaps whereas Tomlinson allowed seven sacks and 10 QB hits, per PFF.
2024 influence: The Jets’ offensive line begins to take form with this transfer. Simpson has solely performed vital snaps at left guard within the NFL and with that spot opening up after Tomlinson’s departure, he’ll slot proper in. Second-year professional Joe Tippmann ought to be locked in at heart, so the subsequent a part of the equation is twofold:
1. What place will Alijah Vera-Tucker play?
2. What’s going to the Jets do at sort out?
The 2 questions are related since Vera-Tucker also can play sort out. At present, the Jets arguably want two new beginning tackles, although they’re very excessive on second-year participant Carter Warren, who’s unproven after a quick run as a starter in 2023. But when the Jets maintain Vera-Tucker at proper guard, they will safely say their inside can be higher in 2024 than it was final 12 months. If Vera-Tucker is moved to sort out, the Jets can have a gap to fill at proper guard and the opposite sort out spot.
Both manner, Douglas nonetheless has a whole lot of work to do.
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Historical past: Simpson performed his first three years with the Raiders and was their full-time starter in 2021, when PFF ranked him 58th of 70 guards to play 500 snaps. However Simpson could also be extra extremely regarded across the league than by PFF.
Final season, former NFL participant Chris Lengthy mentioned this about Simpson on his podcast: “John Simpson is a man that retains popping up for me after I watch tape … this man provides a bodily aspect to that offensive line that matches who they wish to be completely. I simply wish to shout him out within the run recreation. I actually like this man. Not lots of people discuss him however he’s obtained that perspective.”
Cap replace: The Jets basically used the financial savings they obtained from reducing Tomlinson, which was round $8.1 million. It will likely be clearer as soon as the construction of the contract turns into official what Simpson’s cap hit will seem like in 2024, however it ought to be low.
Outlook: The Jets’ probabilities as a contender in 2024 aren’t essentially impacted by this — however as an alternative, by what comes subsequent. If Simpson is one of the best offensive lineman Douglas provides this offseason, then the Jets are in hassle. They nonetheless want a minimum of two new starters, and there are some high-quality linemen nonetheless available on the market — together with veteran left sort out Tyron Smith. The Jets are additionally anticipated to draft an offensive lineman within the first spherical.
If Douglas picks the correct ones, then Simpson, Vera-Tucker, Tippmann and two different upgrades might be the five-man grouping of an improved offensive line, which was crucial factor the GM had to do that offseason. However there’s nonetheless work forward.
(Picture: Todd Olszewski / Getty Photos)