Duane Brown Is Back; Expected to Start Week One

The Jets offensive line concerns have been front and center all training camp. With Mekhi Becton looking good in limited action so far this preseason, that answers one question. The interior line gets a nice boost on Saturday with both guards starting, in AVT and Laken Tomlinson. So the biggest question and the most important position on the line is left tackle. That answer may have arrived on Wednesday as Duane Brown returned to practice.

Robert Saleh was asked for his thoughts on Duane Brown and what he means to this team. I am paraphrasing his answer here, but Saleh basically said that he as admiration for what Brown went through last year.

People won’t get out of bed for the stuff he went through. He didn’t have to, his money was already guaranteed. He had torn rotator cuffs and played the whole season with basically one arm.

The way he prepares, fights through pain, and gets on the field. He is an absolute pleasure; he is a stud. It is an example; we look at the glamour of being an all-pro. We forget the mountain that was climbed is significant.

Saleh said Brown won’t play on Saturday vs the Giants but is expected to start week one. Either Billy Turner or Max Mitchell will start at left tackle in the preseason finale.

Brown (6-4, 315) had been on the active/physically unable to perform list as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. He signed with the Jets last August after five seasons with the Seahawks. He injured his shoulder at the beginning of last training camp and missed the first four games of the 2022 season on injured reserve and returned in Week 5. Brown didn’t miss a snap for 11 straight games before he did not play in the season finale against the Dolphins. He was given the first annual Selfless Warrior Award last year, which was voted on by the coaching staff. A Texans first-round pick in 2008, Brown has started all 215 games he’s played in.

Stop by the JetNation forums to see what other fans are saying about Duane Brown.