Antwan Staley: GM Joe Douglas deserves credit for Jets improvements offensively this offseason

The Jets’ offense has been the source of their problems the last two seasons.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas and coach Robert Saleh have been widely criticized for that.

That’s why Douglas set out to strengthen a unit that finished 31st in yards (268.6) and 29th in points per game (15.8) this offseason. Mission accomplished because now the Jets offense has vastly improved from just a season ago.

Last month, the Jets signed wide receiver Mike Williams to a one-year contract. They also addressed the offensive line by acquiring left tackle Tyron Smith, left guard John Simpson, and right tackle Morgan Moses.

Douglas’ mission continued during the 2024 NFL Draft when the Jets used five of their seven picks on offensive players.

Gang Green’s starting offensive line was complete with the additions of Smith, Simpson, and Moses. But that didn’t stop the Jets from adding more insurance on the offensive line by drafting Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu, who did not allow a single sack during his final two seasons at Penn State.

Last season, the Jets used 14 different offensive line combinations in 17 games, the most in the league. Douglas had the foresight to be proactive and ensure the Jets would be in good shape should injuries occur on the offensive line again. Especially with Aaron Rodgers, 40, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury.

Smith, 33, has also not played an entire season since 2015. Moses, 33, had offseason surgery on a torn pectoral muscle he suffered early last season. Adding Fashanu not only gives the Jets their future left tackle but will also allow Alijah Vera-Tucker to stay at right guard after he moved around the last two seasons.

“Definitely, the last two years have been a revolving door of offensive linemen,” Douglas said. “Coach [Saleh] said it, we talked about it, we have gotten together, and we really can’t have enough at that position.

“I talked about it earlier, coach talked about it too, but it is a cool room. You have two unbelievable vets [veterans] at tackle coming in and they are really going to take a lot of these young guys under their wings. We have unbelievable depth, all of our depth players have started games last year. It is a really cool room.”

Douglas also expanded the Jets’ receiver room in the draft by adding Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley, who can line up in the slot or on the outside. Williams is expected to be the Jets’ No. 2 receiver opposite Garrett Wilson. However, Williams is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 3 last season with the Chargers and may not be available for the start of training camp.

Corley is dubbed the “YAC King” for gaining yards after the catch. He can get low and deliver punishing blows to second and third-level defenders while finishing aggressively.

On Day 3, the Jets also double-dipped by selecting Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen in Round 4 and South Dakota State running back Isaiah Davis in Round 5. Drafting physical running backs like Allen and Davis will serve the Jets well in the winter months and take a lot of pressure off Breece Hall.

The Jets’ most prominent draft pick of Day 3 was made in Round 5 when they selected Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. Gang Green has been searching for a developmental quarterback after trading Zach Wilson to the Broncos last week. During his pre-draft press conference, Douglas told reporters that he wanted to turn the Jets into a “quarterback factory.”

Travis would’ve been a surefire Day 2 selection if not for a broken leg that prematurely ended his career at Florida State. He helped lead the Seminoles to an ACC Championship after passing for 2,756 yards, 20 touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Who knows if all of these moves will pay off. But Douglas deserves credit for swinging big and trying to improve an offense that was broken the last two seasons.

In a loaded AFC, at least on paper, the Jets roster is among the best in the conference.

“I feel like we had a plan,” Douglas said. “We tried to keep the main thing the main thing throughout the offseason. I feel like we stuck to what we tried to do and tried to avoid distractions and not waiver from our process. We’ve been able to do that. Look, we’re excited about the team and excited to get this thing going.”