The addition of wide receiver Mike Williams and the drafting of YAC-king Malachi Corley, coupled with a revamped and reinvigorated offensive line put the Jets among seven NFL teams that have "significantly helped their quarterbacks," according to NFL.com Senior National Columnist Judy Battista.
"First of all, Aaron Rodgers I don't think has to be back to pre-Achilles Aaron Rodgers to elevate the Jets significantly from what we saw last season," Battista said in a clip from “The Insiders” on the league’s website. "He just has to be able to get the ball to the right place, and Aaron Rodgers is going to be able to do that when he's 85 years old. He can still throw the ball."
Though the Jets' elite defense played its heart out and kept the Green & White in the playoff conversation late into the season, the lack of continuity at quarterback and on the offensive line was more than HC Robert Saleh and his staff could overcome in 2023.
"It was so important that they upgrade the offensive line," Battista said. "You've got to protect him in the way they were not in those four snaps. What they can expect from him though is smart decision-making, not making the silly mistakes."
As Battista wrote, the Jets have "addressed their obvious weakness by overhauling the offensive line," signing in free agency Tyron Smith (an eight-time Pro Bowler and a five-time All-Pro who was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team) from the Cowboys and John Simpson from the Ravens, acquiring in a trade Morgan Moses from Baltimore and using their top draft pick (No. 11 overall) to select Olu Fashanu out of Penn State. The fast-developing Joe Tippmann returns for a full season at center and Alijah Vera-Tucker, back from a season-ending injury, will be anchored at right guard after showing his versatility all over the line the past two seasons. Players like Max Mitchell, Jake Hansen, Xavier Newman and second-year Carter Warren will provide added depth.
"This is a team that can run the ball, has Garrett Wilson, a superstar as a wide receiver, Mike Williams coming in and has a really good defense," Battista said. "Think of what the Jets were doing when they were playing competitive defense in games last year and when they were still in the playoff mix even after he [Rodgers] got hurt.
"They were playing close games defensive-dominated, they were running the ball with Breece Hall, and then they came apart because the quarterback play was poor. This does not have to be Aaron Rodgers of the peak Green Bay years to get the Jets into the playoff picture. It needs to be better than what we saw last year and it needs to be just an average-level Aaron Rodgers kind of season. This is a guy who gives you every chance to win a game. That's all they need."
