John Simpson confident Jets offensive line is building chemistry

John Simpson hasn’t been around Aaron Rodgers for long, but the left guard already knows what responsibility comes with protecting the man around whom the Jets are building their hopes and dreams. 

“He the GOAT,” Simpson said after the Jets practiced on Monday. “It’s that little extra, you gotta do your job. You gotta keep him upright and do our best every day. Having a guy like that, that’s gonna switch the snap count, that’s gonna do different things behind the line, you just gotta be locked in on whatever he says. Cause he’s gonna run the show.” 

While it wasn’t anyone’s fault that Rodgers fell the wrong way on the MetLife Stadium turf and tore his Achilles four snaps into last season, it was of note that the Jets offensive line struggled throughout camp and for much of the regular season.

It’s no coincidence that Joe Tippmann and Alijah Vera-Tucker mark the only returnees of a five-man unit that also includes Simpson, Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. 

And while bad snaps have been a persistent issue through camp along with injuries preventing the top five from spending much time together on the practice field, Simpson said the line is building chemistry, at speed. 

“I think we’re ahead of a lot of other places as far as us gelling together with all the new guys in the room,” he said. “You’re always trying to get closer and closer as a unit so we can just fully trust each other when we go out there for that first game.” 

The 26-year-old from Charleston, S.C. started his career with the Raiders before playing last season in Baltimore, alongside Moses.

The Jets signed him to a two-year, $12 million deal this offseason, with $6 million in guaranteed money. 

“John, surprisingly — and I don’t want to criticize him. This is not a criticism. He is much quicker-footed than we anticipated,” coach Robert Saleh said last week. “In turn, we knew he was quick-footed, we knew he was athletic, but his ability to get to the second level, redirect off combination blocks and maintain balance and clean footwork and pad level is really, really cool and makes him a guy that we’re all really happy with and really excited to continue to work with.” 

Simpson, in turn, is thrilled to be in camp playing next to Smith — one of the best left tackles of the past decade — and regularly taking reps against Quinnen Williams. 

“It’s a fight every day,” he said of going against Williams. “Every snap, every play, just trying to put my best foot forward and compete against a guy like that. I think he’s gonna make me better and I’m trying my best to make him better.” 

As for Moses, Simpson said he benefited from the veteran’s mentorship when they were together with the Ravens. 

“He’s another guy that’s been in the league for a long time, he knows what he’s talking about,” Simpson said. “That’s one of those guys I sit back and listen to, listen to him talk and try to take things from him, too. It’s my fifth year, but I’m trying to learn day in and day out, trying to get better. So that’s one of those guys I look at like a big brother.” 

That all sounds great. But of course it doesn’t matter until Rodgers has played 17 games — and hopefully more than that — to complete a season for the Jets. 

The groundwork is being laid. 

“It’s coming along, coming along,” Simpson said of the offensive line. “We got new pieces here and there. It usually takes some time before everyone gels and fully trusts each other. I feel like we’re going in the right direction.”