Joe Douglas is doing exactly what he said he would do. In a meeting with the team’s alumni last year, the New York Jets general manager told the former players that he would build this team in the trenches.

So far, Douglas has signed five offensive linemen to contracts, including four brought in via free agency. It is a massive overhaul of not just the weakest part of the team last year, but perhaps one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL the past two seasons.

The Jets so far through free agency have been very active, with the emphasis in particular on that offensive line. Tackle George Fant (Seattle Seahawks), center Connor McGovern (Denver Broncos), guard Alex Lewis (Indianapolis Colts), guard Greg Van Roten (Carolina Panthers) and they re-signed guard Alex Lewis – all moves that represent a significant investment by the Jets in overhauling the line.

Rob Carpenter remembers sitting in a Legends dinner last August at a hotel near the team’s facility and listening to Douglas talk. The former wide receiver spent three of his five seasons in the NFL with the Jets in the mid-90s.

Douglas addressed the team’s player alumni after he spent some time mingling with the former players before the event started.

“He basically said he knew what is expected from the general manager standpoint. It’s been a long time since a winner was in New York and he has a plan for the team and it won’t be an overnight thing but he will address team issues and build the franchise starting up front,” Carpenter told SportsIllsutrated.com.

“He knows the spotlight is on the team and there are already great pieces in place and he will be shrewd and stick to his plan to add other pieces and form a team that can last.”

Rob Carpenter

Douglas has lived up to those words, spoken from a podium during the alumni dinner. Brought in last offseason after the Jets had finished the NFL Draft, Douglas took over a team that had struggled to find talent in both free agency and the draft.

So far this offseason, Douglas has not overcommitted or chased waterfalls. The majority of his free agent signings, in particular those brought from other organizations and not players re-signed, would be the Tier II category targets and not necessarily the big names.

This seems to fall in line with the mindset of Douglas’ upbringing in his career, as he got his personnel start with the Baltimore Ravens. In those 14 seasons, he learned about balance in building a roster and primarily investing in the NFL Draft.

In addition, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome had a reputation for not overspending on free agents.

From that conversation last summer, Carpenter doesn’t recall any specifics about how Douglas wants to build the roster.

Rob Carpenter

“But he said the team should start in the trenches. He did mention that game changing playmakers are also needed - that’s why I’m inclined to guess he will take one of the top WR’s in the first round,” Carpenter said.

“Especially since he’s brought in a number of offensive lineman in free agency.”