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Gap vs. zone: Unpacking the NY Jets OL’s stark identity shift

After the New York Jets signed John Simpson, I became a staunch supporter of the move once I dug into his film. Relative to expectations, I was highly impressed with Simpson’s game. I only had one major concern: Does he fit the Jets’ scheme?

Simpson is an explosive, powerful, aggressive mauler who doesn’t have the greatest quickness or speed. He broke out in a Baltimore Ravens offense that is known for its power run game predicated upon gap-blocking concepts. It did not seem like Simpson was an ideal fit in a Jets offense that figured to be primarily built around wide-zone concepts.