Jets Rumors: Duane Brown to Sign 2-Year, $22M Contract After Mekhi Becton Knee Injury
August 11, 2022
The New York Jets have signed free-agent offensive tackle Duane Brown to a two-year contract, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Schefter later reported the deal is worth $22 million.
Brown will fill in at offensive tackle for Mekhi Becton, who will likely miss the 2022 season after suffering an avulsion fracture of the right knee cap.
Connor Hughes of SNY provided more background on Brown's decision:
Connor Hughes @Connor_J_HughesDuane Brown had options outside of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jets?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jets</a> — contending teams. He picked New York knowing playoffs might be long shot. Says a lot about culture Robert Saleh is building. Brown wanted to come to New York.
The 36-year-old Brown is a five-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro who has played for the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks during an NFL career that began in 2008.
The Jets were set to play Becton, a former Louisville star who went No. 13 overall in the 2020 NFL draft, at right tackle with George Fant starting at left tackle.
Brown has only played left tackle during his career. The logical solution would be to put Brown at left tackle and slide over Fant, who has starting experience at right tackle.
After the Becton injury news and before the Brown signing, the Jets had a pair of right-tackle candidates in Max Mitchell, a rookie fourth-round draft pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette, and four-year NFL veteran Chuma Edoga.
Adding Brown certainly gives the Jets some much-needed stability at the line, which is imperative for the development and growth of second-year quarterback Zach Wilson. The promising Mitchell and the veteran Edoga give the line some good depth as well.
The Jets will open the season at home on Sunday, Sept. 11 against the Baltimore Ravens.