It was widely understood before the 2023 NFL Draft that the New York Jets were after an offensive tackle. They had brought Aaron Rodgers into the organization, and their tackle position was a mess. With Paris Johnson Jr. and Darnell Wright already off the board, the Steelers traded picks with the New England Patriots to leapfrog the Jets and take Broderick Jones at No. 14 overall.
The tackle class in 2023 wasn’t nearly as deep as 2024, so that left the Jets with no great option to address their biggest need. They instead drafted EDGE Will McDonald IV one pick after the Steelers snagged Jones.