Quick, name the top five third-string left tackles in the NFL. You can’t, and that’s no big surprise.
One of the biggest takeaways from last nights Jets loss to the co-tenant Giants was the need for the team to address the left tackle position where they’re currently down to their third option in Brent Qvale who was consistently steamrolled against the Giants.
Fans can get as angry at Qvale as they like for his poor play, but the fact of the matter is that with starting left tackle Kelvin Beachum sidelined with a foot injury and Ben Ijalana on injured reserve for the season, the Jets are forced to play their back-up right tackle at left tackle. The results have been predictable.
The fact that offseason addition Antonio Garcia has been a disaster at the position means that GM Mike Maccagnan has to go out and find some insurance. The biggest problem with that is that if you’re an NFL left tackle who can play even a little bit, you’re probably on a roster already, or you’re a player that a team ins’t looking to part ways with.
The best option to add as a backup right now could be former Giants and Eagles offensive tackle Will Beatty who has 63 career starts at the position and spent last season in Philadelphia but remains unsigned.
Whoever it is, the bottom line is that it can’t be Qvale. Todd Bowles needs to be able to move him back over to the right side where he can back up Brandon Shell, while a new body is brought in to take Ben Ijalana’s spot on the roster so that Jets fans (and Sam Darnold) can sleep better at night if Beachum were to miss any regular season action.
