One of the biggest questions the Jets have to answer after they figure out who their quarterback will be in 2023 is who will protect that quarterback.
They gained a little clarity at the position on Sunday.
Duane Brown’s agent, Kennard McGuire, confirmed that he wants to return for a 17th season after recently undergoing surgery to repair his left shoulder.
Brown signed a two-year deal with the Jets last August after starting right tackle Mekhi Becton injured his knee in training camp.
The Jets slid George Fant to the right side and intended to have Brown as their starting left tackle.
But Brown tore the labrum in his left shoulder in a non-contact drill days before the Week 1 opener against the Ravens.
Brown could have called it a season and still received all of his guaranteed contract, but he only missed four games and then returned to play 12 games before shutting it down ahead of the team’s final game of the season.
The longtime Texan and Seahawk won over his teammates and coaches with the toughness he showed in playing through the injury.
Jets coach Robert Saleh said he saw Brown in the Jets’ weight room recently, a sign that Brown has been working to return.
“Duane is a freaking rock star, man,” Saleh said. “The way he fought through pain and injury, and he did what I’d say about 90 percent of players probably wouldn’t have done, in terms of playing when he didn’t have to. All his money was already guaranteed, and the guy still strapped up and played [12] games for us, took it all the way to Week 17. So, a lot of respect for him, love his grind, love his grit, love what he stands for, and if he’s here, it’d be awesome.”
The Jets have some interesting decisions to make at tackle where they have Brown, Becton and Max Mitchell all returning from serious injuries or health scares.
Many of the early mock drafts have penciled in a tackle for the Jets with the No. 13 overall pick.
Now that Brown wants to return, does he get penciled in at left tackle, where he has played for his entire career?
Becton has been vocal on social media about considering himself a left tackle.
Will he be willing to play on the right side? Where does Mitchell, who started the first four games of the season at right tackle, fit in?
Brown carries a salary cap hit of $11.2 million.
If the Jets decide to cut him, they would save $5 million against the cap but also take a dead money hit of $6.3 million.