It sure sounds like Joe Tippmann’s days at center are over.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Tippmann was asked when he last snapped a football since being moved to guard for the 2025 season.
“I was jokingly snapping a couple at practice the other day to see if I still had it,” he responded.
After a strong 2024 season at center, Tippmann was expecting to be the New York Jets’ starting center again in 2025. However, after right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a season-ending injury ahead of Week 1, he was forced to move to Vera-Tucker’s spot.
Following an early adjustment period, Tippmann had a very strong season at guard, which earned him a four-year extension with the team. It appears now that the organization views him as a long-term guard rather than a center, although his versatility is clearly valuable.
However, his comments on Tuesday are interesting. If Tippmann has not done any work at center, it suggests that if starting center Josh Myers were to suffer an injury, the team wouldn’t move Tippmann back to his old spot. Instead, the Jets would most likely slide the newly acquired Jordan Meredith to center, even though Meredith has performed much better as a guard.
While the Jets trotted out the same starting offensive line for all 17 games last season, it’s unlikely that the same feat will take place in 2026. Obviously, that would be best for the team, but it’s improbable.
With that in mind, strong depth is critical. It’s an area on the team’s depth chart that was very weak before the squad acquired Meredith on the cutdown day market. There is a case to be made that Gang Green should be looking to add another depth piece.
Based on Tippmann’s comments, a move back to center doesn’t seem to be part of the organization’s plans.
