In the NFL, change is perpetual. It can be unsettling but sometimes necessary, and Jets left tackle Kelvin Beachum believes the latter regarding the team's offensive line.
The Jets swore in a new staff in January that includes Frank Pollack, the team's third OL coach in as many years.
"I think how you handle change is important," Beachum told reporters during voluntary minicamp. "For us, right now, being able to handle change, the transition, the understanding how Coach Gase and Coach Pollack want things done and actually doing it that way."
One player who's grown accustomed to change is right guard Brian Winters, the longest tenured player on the Green & White. Since being drafted in 2013, Winters has played under all three position coaches and hopes Pollack will be his last.
"He's good. He's very fundamental," Winters said. "It's very go-go-go which I like and I think it's a good change for us as a unit."
Outside of adjusting to expectations and personalities of new coaches, the entire group has to tackle the new vernacular.
"The calls stay the same, but everything has a different term and that's a big adjustment," Winters said. "Going from this system, the terms and terminology are totally different. That's something you have to adjust and do your studying on. It's all fairly similar."
Despite all the changes that come with a coaching change, chemistry shouldn't be an issue for the group as four-fifths of starting O-line returns for 2019. Kelechi Osemele moves in at left guard for James Carpenter, who departed for the Falcons in free agency after four seasons with the Jets. Osemele was acquired from the Raiders via trade in March and Beachum is excited to work with his new neighbor.
"It's going to be fun," he said. "It's just great to have him here, great to play with somebody that plays that violently. I'm just excited to get to work with him."
While a cohesiveness is already established up front, the group will adjust to a unique rushing style in running back Le'Veon Bell, who's famous for his patience. Beachum has a taste of Bell's approach as the two former Steelers were teammates in Pittsburgh from 2013-15 and expects the line to make the dynamic back look good and vice versa.
"I think he causes a ton of matchup problems, honestly," Beachum said. "At the end of the day, you can put him in the backfield and he has to be accounted for. You can split him out, he has to be accounted for. So, I think overall, he's somebody that can cause matchup problems across the board."
