The New York Jets signed center Josh Myers with a $3.5 million deal this offseason. Which was a perplexing move for many, as former Badger Joe Tippmann was one of the top-rated centers last season by PFF. Now, Tippmann and Myers are in the middle of a training camp competition to be the starter. It seems as if Tippmann has embraced the challenge despite it being a perplexing move by the Jets.
Last season, Tippmann was rated 73.4 overall by PFF, which ranked eighth among qualifying centers. Myers, on the other hand, was rated 55.3 overall, which actually placed him among the league's worst. So what are the Jets doing and why are they jockeying these two around and signing a player for millions of dollars only to know they already have a better center?
New York Jets are taking a gamble on Josh Myers because of a Justin Fields connection
It may actually be a Big Ten decision. The New York Jets may be taking a gamble on Josh Myers simply because they are banking on his ability to provide chemistry with Justin Fields. Myers played center for the Ohio State Buckeyes, snapping the ball to Fields. Like a catcher that knows how to work well with a specific pitcher, a center has the role of navigating a quarterback. There's a hope that Fields may settle in with Myers as his center.
However, if he's not going to be even a league-average center, it still will be Tippmann's job to lose. Tippmann, the former Badger, may not have played on the same team as Justin Fields. He's been able to become one of the top-rated centers through a variety of different quarterbacks under center in his 33 career games.
While Tippmann wasn't initially excited about this competition, he's decided to let it fuel him to become even better. This NFL season, he may even jump into the top-5 with this extra motivation.