Mehta’s Top 20 Jets Countdown: Osemele
The 2019 Jets have new uniforms, new coaches and a new general manager, but one familiar question remains after an unexpected shakeup after the draft: Are these the ‘Same Old Jets’?
Mike Maccagnan added some quality pieces before getting fired in May, but has this star-crossed franchise done enough to break an eight-year playoff drought?
I’ll be revealing my Top 20 players on the roster every weekday for the next four weeks in the run-up to training camp.
The list is made up of the players who I think will make the most impact for Adam Gase’s team this season. We’re not ranking guys solely based on past accomplishments. Get ready for some surprises with our projections.
No. 8: Kelechi Osemele
2018 ranking: N/A Position: Left guard
Age at the start of the season: 30
2019 salary cap charge: $10.2 million
Contract status: Fourth year of a five-year, $58.5 million deal signed with the Raiders
2018 Season in Review: Osemele’s forgettable final season in Oakland was plagued by injuries. The veteran earned Pro Bowl berths in each of his first two years with the Raiders before toe and knee ailments limited him to 11 games last season.
Osemele, who also garnered first-team All-Pro honors after signing a blockbuster freeagent contract in 2016, was shipped off by new Oakland general manager Mike Mayock before the draft.
Mike Maccagnan, in effect, moved down 57 spots in the draft to land Osemele. The Jets traded away a fifth-rounder for Osemele and a sixthrounder.
2019 Outlook:
Osemele, who will replace James Carpenter, transformed his body this offseason to safeguard against lower leg injuries suffered last season. He showed up to spring workouts at 314 pounds.
“I did the ketogenic diet,” Osemele said. “I also did some intermittent fasting just to lean out and give myself the best possible chance to be in great shape and prevent injuries and stuff like that. Obviously, that’s an anti-inflammatory diet in general, so that’s what I did.”
Truth be told, Sam Darnold & Co. will only be as good as the offensive line, which had its fair share of struggles last season. The Jets will tinker with their blocking schemes in Adam Gase’s offense, but they’re not re-inventing the wheel. The guys in the trenches have to perform better than last season when Gang Green finished in the bottom 6 in total yards and rushing yards. The Jets only converted 15.1 percent of their drives into touchdowns. Only two teams were worse.
Osemele will play a pivotal role to protect Darnold and open holes for Le’Veon Bell. His guaranteed money runs out after this season, so he could be one-and-done in Gotham Green. However, he plans on returning to the Pro Bowl and proving that the Raiders were wrong to offload him.
“I’m a chip on the shouldertype of guy, so obviously that’s motivation,” Osemele said. “I’m a professional and I’ve been in this business for a while, so I understand it from that point. But I like to take things like that and use it as motivation because it’s fuel. Why wouldn’t you? Obviously, I’m motivated by that.”
Next on the Countdown: A weapon in the making. Countdown Rewind: No. 20 — C Jonotthan Harrison
No. 19 — LB Jachai Polite No. 18 — WR Quincy Enunwa
No. 17 — LB Jordan Jenkins No. 16 — RT Brandon Shell No. 15 — LB Avery Williamson
No. 14 — CB Trumaine Johnson
No. 13 — LT Beachum
No. 12 — S Marcus Maye No. 11 — WR Jamison Crowder
No. 10 — WR Robby Anderson
No. 9 — DL Anderson Kelvin Henry