The New York Jets signed veteran offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor to a one-year $1.3 million deal in free agency. It didn’t make many headlines around the league but it was one of the biggest steals on the open market.
Okorafor, 27, has started in 60 games and has appeared in 78 during his seven-year career to date. This past season, he only appeared in 12 snaps for the New England Patriots in Week 1, and then he was immediately placed on the Exempt/Left Squad.
There is a lot unknown about that situation which pushed a lot of teams away in free agency. However, before joining the Patriots last offseason, Okorafor was the full-time starting right tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2020 through 2022.
In each of those seasons, he appeared in at least 1000 snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Okorafor graded out as an average pass blocker (63.0) during that stretch and an average overall player (61.0). He was graded as a slightly below average run blocker across those three seasons (56.9), per PFF.
The Jets just added a veteran offensive tackle who has proven to be a serviceable starter in the league. It’s hard to find offensive linemen in general. The Jets signed a player coming off a weird year, but throughout his career had been solid at the outstanding value of the No. 45 highest-paid right tackle in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Jets Break Silence on the Okorafor Patriots Situation
Head coach Aaron Glenn was asked about the Okorafor addition at the Annual League Meetings.
“We did a good amount of investigation on that [how things ended with the Patriots]. To me being able to talk to the player and trusting the player and trusting his process is important. I think that goes with every player. I try to make it a point to have a conversation with every player on the team and just get a chance to get to know who they are. Same thing in the free agency process, get a chance to talk to every player and get a chance to understand who they are. I felt comfortable with his [Okorafor] answers,” Glenn revealed. “I think he is a really good player. He is going to get a chance to go out there and compete. Obviously we are trying to build this O-Line to be a dynamic O-Line, and we feel like he can be a piece of that puzzle.”
The #Jets signed veteran OT Chukwuma Okorafor to a 1-year deal for $1.3 million.
Last season the 27-year-old only played 12 snaps for the #Patriots in Week 1 before being placed on the ‘exempt/left squad’ list.
HC Aaron Glenn explained why they signed him:
‘We did a good… pic.twitter.com/MEdxXDd83H
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) April 4, 2025
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If the season started today, Okorafor would be starting at right tackle. However, there is one last big tentpole event left that could change that: the 2025 NFL draft.
Some More Details on What Happened Between Okorafor and the Patriots
I reached out to people who cover the team in New England for answers.
Okorafor has exclusively played the right tackle position since he entered the NFL in 2018 as the No. 92 overall pick in the third round.
“They tried to make him play LT [left tackle] and he clearly wasn’t happy about it,” a Patriots reporter told me via text.
It appears that Okorafor signed with the Patriots under the impression that he would play right tackle and then something changed during the 2024 offseason.
In New York there is no question where he will be playing football. The Jets have Olu Fashanu manning the left tackle spot. The team has questions at the right tackle position, Okorafor’s specialty.
It should be a match made in heaven.
