Needing to solidify the left side of their offensive line, the New York Jets turned to a proven All-Pro talent.
New York signed 33-year-old Tyron Smith, who spent the first 13 seasons of his NFL career as a Dallas Cowboys' starter. In 2023, Smith made 13 regular starts en-route to an All-Pro Second Team selection.
Apparently that wasn't enough to impress the selectors in ESPN's annual position-by-position rankings. After "surveying league executives, coaches and scouts," senior writer Jeremy Fowler compiled Top 10s for 11 different position groups and omitted Smith from the offensive tackles' list.
San Francisco 49ers' stalwart Trent Williams earned the No. 1 overall ranking for the second year in a row. In the No. 3 slot, Houston Texans' starter Laremy Tunsil is the lone AFC bookend to garner Top 8 status. Meanwhile, Smith landed in the Honorable Mention section.
"He's still great when he's out there, it's more of a durability and age thing at this point. But I thought he played really well last year. He's got to be a Hall of Famer," an NFL coordinator who participated in the ESPN project.
It seems fair to question the aging Smith's "durability." Afterall, he has missed at least three regular season games every year since 2015 when he last played a complete campaign. Smith totaled only 17 appearances over a three-year span (2020-22).
There's also the fact that he's an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and a five-time All-Pro. If healthy, Smith represents a massive upgrade from the Jets at left tackle.
