Was this interesting Jets free agency decision the right move?

Despite all the issues across their roster in 2025, there was one group that provided a glimmer of hope for the New York Jets:

Their offensive line.

Long considered an Achilles heel of the organization, New York’s investment in the line paid off in droves as young tackles Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou proved themselves worthy of book-end status going forward in their careers. Even guard Joe Tippmann had an impressive run in place of the injured Alijah Vera-Tucker.

As part of their free agency frenzy to kick off the 2026 league year, the Jets made a slight upgrade to their starting lineup by signing former Las Vegas Raiders left guard Dylan Parham to a two-year deal.

However, the questions surrounding New York’s offensive line revolve around the second-string unit.

Rather than seek outside help, the Jets addressed the unit’s depth with a trio of re-signings: tackle Max Mitchell, interior lineman Xavier Newman, and tackle Chukwuma Okorafor. All three role players were on the roster last season.

Was Gang Green right in bringing back essentially the same group of backup offensive linemen, though? Would they have been better suited to bring in new backups behind their young starting lineup?

Right or wrong move to retain backup linemen?

The most important takeaway for the Jets’ offensive line is that they upgraded at left guard.

Dylan Parham’s 63.6 Pro Football Focus rating ranked 14th among 30 qualified left guards in 2025 (min. 500 snaps). John Simpson, meanwhile, recorded a 56.9 PFF grade, ranking 20th.

However, players like Max Mitchell, Xavier Newman, and Chukwuma Okorafor have struggled at times in their careers.

Depth was actually something the Jets’ offensive line did not have to worry about in 2025. Outside of the season-ending injury to Vera-Tucker, the Jets were able to rely on their starting line (with Tippmann sliding to guard) for the entirety of the regular season.

That is unlikely to happen again, though, which means the Jets need to be careful about who they select as their backups.

While the re-signings of players like Mitchell and Newman might not be the most exciting to fans, it’s an approach that makes sense from New York’s perspective.

The Jets are wise to simply bring back the same collection of backups going into 2026. The group appeared to work well together in the preseason and training camp, and they will have the opportunity to build chemistry over another summer heading into this year’s regular season.

Chemistry is a valuable asset for any NFL offensive line—even the backup unit.

There’s also the fact that Mitchell performed well as the group’s “sixth lineman” (used heavily in run-packages). His run blocking was a strength for the Jets across 73 offensive snaps. Bringing Mitchell back as a sixth blocker will only aid New York’s run game.

As for Newman and Okorafor, the Jets know they need players who are versatile around the line to back up key starters. Both players fit that bill well.

There are many other veteran linemen who are looking for jobs right now. Some might be considered better players than the current depth in New York.

But the Jets are focusing on continuity. Until proven otherwise, that’s always a smart way to keep an offensive line thriving.