Another day, another newsworthy story regarding the New York Jets. On Wednesday morning, Jets coach Robert Saleh announced that five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown will return to practice after being taken off the team's PUP list. Brown had been recovering from shoulder surgery after initially suffering the injury last summer.
Despite the injury, Brown managed to make 12 starts last season, his first with the Jets after spending the previous five seasons with the Seahawks. A former first-round pick, Brown broke into the NFL with the Texans back in 2008. He was tabbed as an All-Pro in 2012 and was a Pro Bowler the following two seasons.
Brown was traded from Houston to Seattle during the 2017 season. While the scenery changed, Brown was still the same player as he was named to the Pro Bowl for a fourth time. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl in 2021 after starting in each of Seattle's 17 games.
The soon-to-be 38-year-old Brown is expected to resume his role as the Jets' starting left tackle. During his absence, that position has been shared by fellow former first-round pick Mekhi Becton, Billy Turner and Max Mitchell. With Brown returning, the thought is that Becton will move over to the starting right tackle. The Jets' starting interior is currently manned by center Connor McGovern and guards Laken Tomlinson and Alijah Vera-Tucker.
The unit has been under some scrutiny over the last few weeks. After getting called out by their head coach on a recent "Hard Knocks" episode, the Jets' line surrendered a half-dozen sacks fo Aaron Rodgers during a midweek practice against the Buccaneers. New York's line responded by not allowing a single sack during the Jets' preseason loss to Tampa Bay, a week after permitting just one sack in New York's win over Carolina in the second week of the preseason.
