Bill Polian and Field Yates weigh in on the Broncos trading OT Ryan Clady to the Jets, and if he is a suitable replacement for D'Brickashaw Ferguson. (1:04)

For the first time since 2006 -- D'Brickashaw Ferguson's rookie year -- the New York Jets have a new left tackle.

Five things you need to know about Ryan Clady:

1. He believes in "Liberty": At Boise State, Clady was involved in one of the most famous plays in recent college football history. In the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Boise State stunned Oklahoma by using the Statue of Liberty play to score on a two-point conversion in overtime for a 43-42 win. Clady sealed the edge for Ian Johnson, who celebrated the moment by proposing on the field to his girlfriend, who was a cheerleader. Now that he's working in New Jersey, Clady is only a 40-minute drive and a short boat ride to the real Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

The Fiesta Bowl was a breakout performance for Clady, who impressed pro scouts by the manner in which he handled Oklahoma's pass-rushers. He was hardly a household name when he arrived on campus. In fact, Clady was only a two-star recruit coming out of Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California.

Ryan Clady is replacing longtime Jet D'Brickashaw Ferguson at left tackle. Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports

2. He's a "write" tackle, too: Clady is similar to Ferguson in that he's a published writer. While rehabbing a surgically repaired knee last season, Clady authored a first-person piece for Derek Jeter's "Players Tribune" website. The article, entitled "Suck it Up," details the anguish and loneliness of rehabbing a major injury during the season. Clady makes a prophetic statement in the his piece, writing, "I’m not gonna lie, after a couple of season-ending injuries, you start thinking about where you sit with the organization. This is a business, and if you can’t stay on the field, you won’t be around long. That’s just part of football at this level."

He was right. After refusing to accept a pay cut, Clady was put on the trading block when the Broncos signed his replacement, Russell Okung.

3. He's a foodie: Clady loves to eat. A few years back, he wrote a food blog, visiting restaurants around Denver and writing on-line reviews. He covered just about everything -- seafood places, burrito places, breakfast places, barbecue places, you name it. He even wrote a blog post on his ideal last meal: A trip to Del Frisco's Double-Eagle Steakhouse, where he'd order a crab cake appetizer, a filet mignon with peppercorns, sauteed mushrooms, baked potato and jalapeno-bacon macaroni and cheese. Quick, someone buy this man a Zagat guide for Manhattan restaurants.

4. He was an instant star: He was drafted 12th overall by the Broncos in 2008, six spots after the Jets picked Vernon Gholston (ugh!). Clady was so good, so fast that he was drawing comparisons to some of the all-time greats. He didn't allow a full sack in his first 20 starts, according to Stats Inc., the longest streak for an offensive tackle at the start of his career since 1994. He finished third in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, behind Matt Ryan and Chris Johnson. He would go on to four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro selections with the Broncos, making him one of the most decorated left tackles of the decade.

5. His injuries: Yes, he's had a few. Over the last six years, he's had four major surgeries -- left knee (twice), shoulder and foot. He has missed 30 of the last 48 games, including the Denver Super Bowl runs in 2013 and 2015. Clady became so familiar with the grueling rehab process that he decided in 2014 to invest in a company that specializes in innovative ice compression wraps for training and rehab. If there's pain, why not turn it into a gain?