The New York Jets may still be a work in progress, but there’s a glimmer of real promise up front - and it's coming from the offensive line.
Yes, the Jets are in the thick of a rebuild, and no, they’re not lighting up the scoreboard. But if you’re looking for a foundation to build on, look no further than the trenches.
Specifically, two young bookends: Armand Membou and Olu Fashanu. These tackles aren’t just placeholders - they’re the kind of high-upside talents teams dream about developing into long-term cornerstones.
And while offensive linemen don’t have flashy stats like touchdowns or receiving yards to hang their hats on, there is a way to measure their impact - and that’s where Pro Football Focus comes in.
Heading into Week 16, PFF released its latest offensive line rankings, and the Jets made a small but notable climb, moving up two spots to No. 23. That might not sound like headline news, but for a team that’s been trying to stabilize its O-line for what feels like forever, any upward movement is a step in the right direction.
Here’s how the full rankings shake out:
32. Las Vegas Raiders (Down 1)
31. Cleveland Browns (Down 1)
30. Los Angeles Chargers (Up 2)
29. Arizona Cardinals (Down 2)
28. Miami Dolphins (Down 2)
27. Green Bay Packers (Down 5)
26. Dallas Cowboys (Down 3)
25. New Orleans Saints (Up 4)
24. Tennessee Titans (Up 4)
23. New York Jets (Up 2)
22. Kansas City Chiefs (Down 2)
21. Cincinnati Bengals (Down 2)
20. Houston Texans (Down 3)
19. Minnesota Vikings (Up 2)
18. Carolina Panthers (No change)
17. Jacksonville Jaguars (Up 6)
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No change)
15. Detroit Lions (Down 3)
14. Atlanta Falcons (Down 3)
13. New England Patriots (Up 1)
12. Baltimore Ravens (Up 3)
11. Philadelphia Eagles (Down 2)
10. Seattle Seahawks (Up 3)
9. New York Giants (Up 1)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (No change)
7. Washington Commanders (No change)
6. Indianapolis Colts (Down 2)
5. San Francisco 49ers (Up 1)
4. Buffalo Bills (Up 1)
3. Chicago Bears (No change)
2. Los Angeles Rams (No change)
1. Denver Broncos (No change)
For the Jets, cracking the top 20 might still be a ways off, but this latest ranking reflects the incremental progress being made - particularly with the emergence of Membou and Fashanu. These two are still developing, but they’ve shown flashes of the kind of footwork, strength, and awareness that can anchor a line for years.
And let’s not overlook what it means for the rest of the offense. A more stable line opens up possibilities - for the run game, for the quarterback, for the entire playbook. It’s not just about wins and losses right now; it’s about laying the groundwork for a more competitive future.
So while the Jets aren’t climbing the standings just yet, they are climbing where it counts - in the trenches. And that’s a good place to start.