CORTLAND, N.Y. -- More fallout from the Jeff Otah no-go: the Jets are having Matt Slauson, who has held the starting left guard spot for two seasons, compete with Vlad Ducasse to keep his job.

GM Mike Tannenbaum noted that third-year player Austin Howard, who lost at least 20 pounds between the Jets June minicamp and training camp, could emerge as a viable piece in the reworked line.

But a more likely possibility is that the Jets shop to improve the line and look for current players to add depth that was sorely lacking last season, when rookie Colin Baxter awkwardly stepped in for the two games starting center Nick Mangold missed with a high ankle sprain.

“We’re always going to look to improve the team,” Tannenbaum said. “I think if we’re having this conversation a month from now there’ll be players on our team that aren’t here, regardless of maybe being on the streets or being with another team [now].”