Jets’ Duane Brown practices for the first time since shoulder surgery: ‘He’s an absolute pleasure, he’s a stud’

Gang Green finally has its left tackle back.

On Wednesday morning, left tackle Duane Brown was activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he practiced for the first time during training camp.

Over the last month, Brown, who will turn 38 on Aug. 30, has solely participated in individual work on the side while the rest of the Jets players practiced on separate fields.

Brown will not play against the Giants on Saturday, which will be Aaron Rodgers’ debut under center for the Jets.

“Just another guy that brings stability, wealth of knowledge, wealth of experience, knows how to play the game of football, knows how to prepare week in and week out,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said about Brown. So, there is always a benefit to guys like him.”

The Jets signed Brown last year after Mekhi Becton suffered his second consecutive season-ending right knee injury. Just weeks after he signed with the Jets, Brown himself sustained a shoulder injury that plagued him the entire season.

While he missed the first four games of the 2022 season, Brown played through the shoulder injury, starting 12 games at left tackle. Gang Green sat Brown out of its season finale against the Dolphins after the team was eliminated from postseason contention the prior week after a loss to Seattle.

Because of Brown’s dedication to the team last season, the Jets created the Selfless Warrior Award, which is given to the player who gives the most of himself for the team (as voted by the coaching staff).

“People won’t even get out of bed for the stuff he went through, and he was playing NFL football games,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “And he didn’t have to because the money was already guaranteed. When you have guys that just love the game so much that they’re willing to ... the guy had torn rotator cuffs and he still went out there when he didn’t have to and played damn near the whole season basically with one arm and played pretty darn well.

“He’s been in this league forever, you know why, you got to see why because of the way he prepares, the way he loves the game, the way he fights through pain and injuries. He’s not affected by injuries because he’s going to continue to find ways to get on the field.

“He’s an absolute pleasure, he’s a stud.”

Brown had offseason shoulder surgery after tearing his rotator cuff. His injury, along with Becton’s, were the first of many for the Jets offensive line, as 11 different players started on the unit last season.

“A lot of the times we look at the glamor of being All-Pro and the glamor of being Pro Bowl, but sometimes we forget to acknowledge what it took to get to that point,” Saleh said. “We celebrate the reward and the accomplishment, but we forgot about the mountain that was climbed was significant, but to be able to see it with your own two eyes, I think, is valuable to any young kid, any young man coming into the league.”

On Monday, Jets left guard Laken Tomlinson (ankle) and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (leg) both returned from separate injuries that prevented them from playing against the Buccaneers preseason game last weekend.

During Wednesday’s practice, Brown went to an accumulation period as the team hopes he does more on Thursday. While Brown was on the PUP list throughout training camp, Max Mitchell and Billy Turner have rotated between left and right tackle. Neither guy has performed well at either spot, which is why the Jets have now given right tackle snaps to Becton as he has recovered from his knee injury.

Now with Brown back, the Jets have their core offensive line back with Brown at left tackle, Tomlinson at left guard, Connor McGovern at center, Vera-Tucker at right guard and Becton patrolling the left tackle spot.

“Hopefully, with the way we are set, left tackle, there is still that competition at left tackle, get Duane in there, but with the other four, hopefully that can stay the same for a while,” Saleh said. “Hopefully, we can avoid the injury bug and those guys can continue to work together and communicate with one another and get going.”