The New York Jets, despite getting Aaron Rodgers back from a torn Achilles, finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record and in third place in the AFC East, only ahead of the New England Patriots.
This offseason, they had several key players hit the market and find new homes, but three weeks into the new league year, many are still unsigned and looking for their next opportunities.
That list includes offensive tackle Tyron Smith, and Pro Football Sports Network recently identified New England as the top suitor for the veteran tackle before the start of the 2025 season.
Smith, 34, played collegiately at USC from 2008-10, earning First-team All-Pac-10 honors and the Morris Trophy (given to the top lineman in the conference) in his final season with the Trojans.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Smith in the first round (No. 9 overall) in the 2011 NFL draft and made him their starting right tackle as a rookie. In his second year, he flipped to the left side, where he remained for most of his 13 years with the team.
During that time, Smith made eight Pro Bowls, earned All-Pro honors five times and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
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Last offseason, Smith inked a one-year deal with the Jets worth up to $20 million. He started the first 10 games of the season on the left side for New York before a neck injury ended his season prematurely. Pro Football Focus gave him a 73.7 overall grade for his performance, ranking him 30th out of 131 qualified NFL offensive tackles in 2024. He also earned a 72.4 run-blocking grade (27th) and a 72.3 pass-blocking grade (45th).
Moving on from Smith could give 2024 first-round pick Olu Fashanu a permanent home at left tackle, instead of moving around like he did as a rookie.
The Patriots desperately need help at left tackle after watching Vederian Lowe, Chukwuma Okorafor and Caedan Wallace struggle mightily at the position in 2024, resulting in Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye taking a beating.
They’ve addressed right tackle by signing former Jet Morgan Moses to a three-year, $24 million deal this offseason, and using some of that extra cap space on a short-term deal for Smith would be smart.
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