The New York Jets selected Armand Membou seventh overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to be a cornerstone of their offensive line for the next decade. So far, the results justify that investment.
Membou spoke at OTAs about his focus for the remainder of the offseason. His stated goal: "Get as strong and explosive as I can." That could be an off-season platitude from any player. For Membou, it is a specific prescription built on what his rookie film showed.
The numbers from Membou's first season are the foundation of the Jets' confidence. As a rookie, he played 514 of 515 offensive snaps through eight games before an injury ended his season. That is a 99.8 percent snap rate. For a first-year tackle, availability at that level is the first prerequisite for long-term success. He did not miss a single offensive snap in any of those eight games until the injury forced him out.
The quality matched the quantity. In his final game of the season against the New England Patriots, Membou allowed just one pressure. That is the kind of closing performance that sticks with a coaching staff through an entire offseason. It is also a clear benchmark. He played his best football when his body was most worn down, suggesting his technique and conditioning held up under cumulative game reps.
Membou led the Jets' 2025 rookie class in snaps. That is not necessarily a surprise for a first-round tackle, but it is meaningful context. The Jets did not ease him into the lineup. He was an immediate starter from Week 1. Every snap he took was live, on-task, and against starting-level edge rushers. There was no redshirt year, no rotational role, no protection from matchups. He was thrown into NFL game speed immediately and held his own.
The "get stronger and more explosive" directive is the logical next step. Membou won with leverage and awareness as a rookie. He was rarely caught off-balance. He understood the angles required to seal the edge in the run game and anchor against power rushes. What he lacked was the elite pop that separates good tackles from Pro Bowl ones. The strong-and-explosive emphasis suggests the Jets' coaching staff and strength program have identified his ceiling as higher than his 2025 floor. If he adds functional power without losing his movement skills, he becomes a different kind of player.
The Jets' offensive line situation entering 2026 is a work in progress. Membou at right tackle is one of the few locked-in positions. Olu Fashanu, the Jets' 2024 first-round pick, is also developing at tackle. The interior features Joe Tippmann at center and Dylan Parham at guard, both young assets. But the line overall has not been a strength of this team in recent seasons. Membou developing into a dominant tackle changes the entire calculus. A right tackle who can handle elite pass rushers one-on-one allows the offense to slide protection, keep a tight end in to block on the other side, or run inside zone without worrying about the edge. That is schematic leverage.
The Jets are not expected to contend for a Super Bowl in 2026, if the betting markets are any guide. FanDuel lists them at +25000 to win the title. But that is not the point of the Membou development arc. The point is building a line that can support whoever is at quarterback. Geno Smith is the veteran presence on the roster. Cade Klubnik was drafted in the fourth round this year. The quarterback situation is unsettled. That makes the offensive line's job even more critical. A good offensive line makes every quarterback better. A great offensive line protects a young quarterback's development path.
Membou's injury history is the only concern that deserves mention. He missed the second half of his rookie season. Eight games of elite performance is promising. Sixteen games of elite performance is the standard. Durability is still a question mark, not because he is injury-prone but because he has not yet proven he can survive a full NFL season. The "strong and explosive" goal is partially about preventing the kind of breakdown that led to his 2025 injury. Stronger muscles and more explosive power reduce the risk of soft-tissue injuries and improve his ability to absorb contact.
Here is the judgment call that matters: Armand Membou is already the best right tackle the Jets have had since the 2022 season. That is a low bar given the revolving door at the position, but it is also a real statement. He played at a starting-caliber level as a rookie. Very few tackles can say that. The natural development curve for a 22-year-old tackle is steep between Year 1 and Year 2. He has a full offseason of NFL weight training under his belt. He has a season's worth of film to study his own weaknesses. He has a clear, measurable goal.
The Jets got this pick right. Membou is not a project. He is a starting-caliber tackle who has room to grow into a top-10 right tackle in the league. That is the projection. If he achieves the strength and explosion gains he is targeting this summer, he will be a foundational piece of a line that can be above average in 2026. That is worth a lot more than the draft capital invested.
Second-year tackles who played 99.8 percent of snaps through eight games as rookies and then targeted strength gains in their first full offseason do not often fail. The data says they get better. Membou is on that track.
