The Jets’ offensive line will probably be reshuffled earlier than their first recreation of 2025.
Proper guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, arguably the Jets’ finest offensive lineman, tore his triceps Tuesday throughout observe and can miss the remainder of this season.
Glenn declined to reply when pressed throughout his Friday press convention about who would exchange Vera-Tucker at guard.
“Have I ever done that?” Glenn mentioned to the reporter. “Nothing has changed. Why would I tell you that? Why would I give another team a competitive advantage on knowing what we’re doing?”
Glenn, who will make his head teaching debut in opposition to the Steelers in Week 1 at MetLife Stadium, advised reporters on Thursday he was nonetheless evaluating choices to switch Vera-Tucker. The doubtless state of affairs is the Jets will transfer middle Joe Tippmann to proper guard and insert Josh Myers at middle.
Tippmann performed 4 video games at proper guard throughout his rookie season in 2023. He declined to say the place he would play in opposition to the Steelers, however Tippmann acknowledged he felt snug switching positions.
When John Simpson injured his again throughout coaching camp, Tippmann switched to left guard and Myers turned the beginning middle.
“I was able to get a lot of reps at left guard,” Tippmann mentioned. “So, it’s one thing I’m positively snug leaping backwards and forwards between doing.
“Wherever they need me to play, I will play. I had four or five games at right guard, so it always stays in the back pocket. It’s something I do have experience doing. If they need me to, I will step up.”
The Jets’ offensive line is meant to be one in all their strongest items. They’ve invested closely within the O-line the earlier three seasons after drafting Tippmann in 2023, left sort out Olu Fashanu the next 12 months and proper sort out Armand Membou in April.
Glenn needs the Jets to be a bodily crew whereas establishing a tradition of self-discipline and toughness. He’s assured the offensive line will step up in Vera-Tucker’s absence.
With out Vera-Tucker, the Jets can have an inexperienced proper aspect once they host the Steelers and can have a big problem making an attempt to include each T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith (a mixed 17.5 sacks in 2024).
“Anytime when it comes to offensive linemen, what you look for is versatility at that spot,” Glenn mentioned. “A middle that may play guard, sort out that may play guard. You hate the very fact when it’s a one place man as a result of then it takes away from among the issues so far as shifting and matching guys round.
“That’s the one thing that we have here for a number of guys that we have. Especially our interior guys. Listen, it was bad that AVT went down, it was. But the thing is, we have guys that’s on our roster that’s able to fill in those spots. It’s a terrible injury, hate that it happened, but we’re moving forward.”
Glenn handled the damage bug when he was the Lions defensive coordinator final season. Almost two dozen Detroit gamers landed on injured reserve all through final season. Regardless of that, the Lions managed to complete with the most effective file within the NFC at 15-2.
Glenn says he expects each participant to be accessible in opposition to the Steelers, exterior of Vera-Tucker.
“I talked to the staff about what happened last year in Detroit and I think those guys understand my mindset as far as, don’t tell me who we don’t got. Tell me how we are going to get that next player ready to play and tell me what’s the mindset of that player we’ve been prepping on. This is how we operate, this is our play style. If we get a group of guys that understand that, we will be just fine.”
