by Glenn Naughton<\/p>\n
As the New York Jets offense struggled to put points on the board last\u00a0season, finishing 28th in the NFL at 17.7 per game, some fans looked beyond the performance of quarterback Geno Smith and pointed the finger at the offensive line.<\/p>\n
Nine year veteran center Nick Mangold enjoyed a resurgence in the middle of the Jets offense en route to his sixth pro-bowl appearance.\u00a0\u00a0Meanwhile, the play of D’Brickashaw Ferguson came under fire, but his performance at left tackle was better than most gave him credit for. \u00a0According to the NFL statistical website PFF.com<\/a>, Ferguson earned an “average” or “above average” grade in 13 of 16 games. \u00a0While\u00a0the\u00a0durable left tackle isn’t\u00a0the player he once was, many teams would\u00a0have been\u00a0happy to have him protecting their quarterback’s blind side.\u00a0\u00a0Mangold and Ferguson are likely the only two offensive lineman under contract who shouldn’t have any concerns about job security to start the 2015 season.<\/p>\n Incumbents starters include LG’s Oday Aboushi and Brian Winters, RG Willie Colon, and RT Breno Giacomini, all\u00a0of whom have lingering questions for reasons of their own.<\/p>\n Aboushi was thrust in to the starting line-up when the struggling Winters suffered a season-ending ACL tear<\/a> against the Denver Broncos and performed admirably. The converted offensive tackle\u00a0in his second season\u00a0of the University of Virginia allowed 2 sacks and 16 hurries in his 11 starts, but\u00a0provided a clear upgrade over Winters who may not be a lock to make the roster if he doesn’t show\u00a0improvement.<\/p>\n Even though he provided\u00a0strong pass-protection, Colon was a liability in the run game at times while tying for the NFL lead in penalties with ten.\u00a0\u00a0The eight-year veteran\u00a0is\u00a0a local product from the Bronx who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Hofstra in 2006, but his age and inconsistent performance could lead to the Jets looking elsewhere for a RG next season.\u00a0\u00a0Dakota Dozier, a promising fourth round pick\u00a0last\u00a0season is\u00a0one in-house candidate, but can’t be heavily relied upon as he didn’t manage to get on the filed in 2014.<\/p>\n Giacomini was supposed to be one of former GM John Idzik’s big signings. \u00a0A member of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl winning team of two seasons ago, Giacomini surrendered 3 sacks and 31 QB hurries, tenth worst among all tackles in the NFL.\u00a0 Much like Aboushi and Colon, Giacomini had his ups and downs but was never as dominant, or consistent\u00a0as fans had hoped he would be.<\/p>\n Despite some less than glowing individual statistics, this was still a line that performed\u00a0well enough for the Jets to win more than four games had the quarterback play been better. \u00a0According to PFF,\u00a0Russell Wilson was the only quarterback in the NFL who averaged more time from snap to throw than the Jets’ Smith did. Many of Smith’s critics have cited his tendency to hold on to the football for too long when the protection is strong and that number lends some legitimacy to that claim.<\/p>\n However, Winters’ struggles, Aboushi’s lack of experience, Colon’s poor run-blocking and penalties, with Giacomini’s tendency to get beaten in pass-protection is a likely\u00a0 reason for head coach Todd Bowles’ comments at the NFL combine in which he said the team would like to get “tougher up front”<\/a>.\u00a0 With free agency and the draft fast-approaching here are a few\u00a0names worth\u00a0 mentioning as the Jets will look to reach that goal.<\/p>\n One of the top names in free agency this off-season is San Francisco 49ers left guard Mike Iupati. \u00a0Regarded as one of the leagues\u00a0best run blockers, the Jets interest in Iupati remains to be seen as his pass protection does break down<\/a> more than you’d\u00a0expect from a top-tier player who will likely command a top-tier salary.\u00a0\u00a0Although he’s viewed as\u00a0the best free agent guard on the market,\u00a0Iupati surrendered a league-worst seven sacks last season\u00a0while blocking for a\u00a0quarterback armed with more\u00a0weapons and better mobility than he would likely have with the Jets. In addition to the seven sacks, Iupati was also charged with allowing 2 QB hits and 22 hurries.<\/p>\n If the Jets look to spend a little bit less at the position, Bengals’ OG Clint Boling would bring youth, starting experience and versatility.\u00a0 The former college tackle\u00a0played LG last season for the Bengals, but also stepped in to play RT when called upon in weeks fourteen and fifteen.<\/p>\n Through the draft,\u00a0one\u00a0player with some\u00a0upside who\u00a0is expected to be a late round project would be\u00a0Texas A&M guard Jarvis Harrison.\u00a0 CBSsports.com’s scouting report<\/a> on Harrison spoke of the high praise\u00a0he’s earned at A&M\u00a0and the overall potential of the Texas native:<\/p>\n Considering A&M has sent Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews (and soon Cedric Ogbuehi) to the NFL via the first round, it is easy to understand why the perimeter blockers get most of the attention, but Harrison has been described by Aggies’ coaches as their most athletic offensive lineman and he flashes the talent worthy of early round consideration.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Bringing in a player to compete with Giacomini should also be a priority, and free agent Doug Free is one worth looking at.\u00a0 An eight year veteran, Free suffered a foot injury last season that kept him out for five contests, but when healthy, the Cowoboys RT was a key part of one of the best offensive lines in the game.\u00a0 Dallas\u00a0is rumored to be interested in bringing Free back, but they are also said to be considering back-up Jermy Parnell who filled in nicely\u00a0 during Free’s absence.<\/p>\n