The Jets continue to strengthen their offensive line as the club moves closer to starting training camp later this summer and knocks one off a division rival. New York has brought striker Yodny Cajuste to an agreement, according to the New York Post. The specific parameters of Cajuste’s deal were not immediately disclosed.
The 27-year-old entered the NFL from West Virginia in 2019 as a third-round draft pick from the Patriots. Cajuste had been with New England until this off-season when he was waived on May 18. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder played 10 games for Bill Belichick last season, including three starts.
With the Jets, Cajuste will join a collection of offensive tackles vying for a spot on the 53-man roster to begin the regular season. As things stand, Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown are likely the favorites to be New York’s starters at tackle to protect Aaron Rodgers. That said, they both come from surgeries. Fourth-round pick Max Mitchell, Billy Turner, and Carter Warren along with Cajuste make up the rest of the team’s tackles.
The Jets are coming off a 2022 season where they ranked 17th in the NFL in pass protection according to Football Outsiders. With 39-year-old Rodgers now under center and the team with Super Bowl aspirations, protection for him will need to be improved and could very well begin to deepen this tackle unit.
Meanwhile, this is the second offensive tackle the Patriots have seen land this offseason with a division rival. In addition to Cajuste’s signing with the Jets, 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn signed a deal to join the Miami Dolphins.
New England is reshaping its offensive line after a terrible 2022 season that saw it rank 25th in pass protection. In the tackle spots, Trent Brown (left) and free agent Riley Reiff (right) appear to be the front runners, but training camp will likely give us a clearer picture of how this line will eventually shake out. Calvin Anderson, Conor McDermott and Andrew Stueber are the other tackles on the Patriots’ offseason roster.