Jets: Health Is Key For Ryan Clady as He Hopes to Prove He Can Still Play

Ryan Clady as a member of the Denver Broncos (Getty Images)

With the stalemate between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets organization having gone on all offseason, it really has taken away the spotlight from other members of the team. Particularly the newer members.

Longtime member of the Jets, D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired at the end of the season and the Jets have filled that role by trading for left tackle Ryan Clady, who has spent eight seasons with the Denver Broncos. Clady is also a four-time Pro Bowler. But the trade for Clady is old news.

Even after four Pro Bowl appearances and eight seasons in the NFL, Clady still feels he has something left to prove. Clady is apparently motivated by a divorce he went through during the offseason.

“I think it stings a little bit,” Clady said Wednesday, in his first interview since being traded in April. “There’s a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I have something to prove. I’m ready for the challenge.”

One of storylines to watch this season for Clady will certainly be his health. The 29-year old left tackle has been injury prone the past few seasons as he has missed 30 of the past 48 games due to injury, one of which was an ACL injury. He also missed the entire 2015 season, including the Broncos Super Bowl.

Even though Clady has only been with the Jets for a few months, he has already drawn comparisons to the guy he is replacing, D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Not only do they have a similar style of play, but their personalities are similar as well.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall has been friends with Clady for a while now, and said that Clady and Ferguson are, “the same exact guy. He doesn’t say much. There are times we go on double dates and he just sits there. He doesn’t say much. He’s a boring date.”

But personalities aside (or lack of), Clady’s on field performance will be very important to the offense this season. As great as Ferguson’s career with the Jets was, he did not have that great of a final season. Clady’s presence will be crucial for the running game, especially with a new running back this year in Matt Forte.

Clady obviously has a chip on his shoulder after the divorce and I’m sure that he wants to get back on the field after missing all of last season. But the big question for him this year will be: can he stay healthy?