Jets’ center competition comes with intriguing Ohio State wrinkle

Joe Tippmann might’ve been surprised by the possibility of a competition at first, but Josh Myers knew when he signed with the Jets that he would have a chance to start. 

Myers, who was Justin Fields’ center at Ohio State before starting 60 games across the past four seasons, including playoffs, with the Packers, signed a one-year, $2 million deal in March to end a free agency that “was not what I expected.”

And his battle with Tippmann, the incumbent from the past two seasons, has become one of the most prominent competitions from the early stage of training camp. 

“I focus solely on what I can control, so I try not to worry about any of that stuff,” Myers said Friday after the Jets’ third session of the summer. “Just show up every day as prepared as I can, as physically ready, as mentally ready and just try and bring my best every single day — kind of take it a day at a time. 

“And then, you know, however, it unfolds is how it unfolds.” 

Myers overlapped with Fields for two seasons at Ohio State and said there’s “for sure” a chemistry between a quarterback and a center — and, in this case, one that would transcend different levels of football, too.

It might not emerge until later in the season, but if anything, it provides an interesting wrinkle in the competition with Tippmann, who expressed excitement about the fight for a starting spot Wednesday and with whom Myers said he has a good relationship. 

Still, Myers ultimately needs to win the job in order to demonstrate that cohesion with Fields in Week 1 and beyond. He will need to leverage the experience he collected from playing with Aaron Rodgers — who he appeared in a playoff game with in 2021 — and Jordan Love in Green Bay.

He will need to prove getting overlooked in free agency was a mistake by the teams who didn’t sign him. 

When asked about free agency Friday, though, Myers said “it is what it is” and expressed contentment with how everything ended up. 

“With talking to my agent, we just both believed in coach [Aaron] Glenn and the staff he brought here and the roster as well,” Myers said. “Just everything felt right.” 

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Glenn described tight end Mason Taylor’s ability to block as a rookie as “rare,” though he added that Taylor is a “rare person, too,” given that his father — Jason Taylor — was a Hall of Fame defensive end. 

“The receiving skills, listen, that doesn’t surprise me,” Glenn said. “I know he can do that. His blocking, I know he can block, but I didn’t think it was going to be this good.” 

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Rookie right tackle Armand Membou has been matched up with Will McDonald IV to start camp, and Glenn spoke to Membou on Thursday about embracing reps against the edge rusher who collected 10.5 sacks in a breakout 2024 campaign. 

“You’re not going to find too many guys with that type of ability — as far as speed, agile, quickness — to go against on a daily basis,” Glenn said, “and he’s taking advantage of every moment of it, and he understands that, and they both actually understand that.” 

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The Jets will wear their “Gotham City Football” rivalry uniforms, which will be released Aug. 28, on Dec. 7 against the Dolphins as part of the NFL’s Rivalries partnership with Nike, the team announced. 

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WWE’s Sheamus was in attendance during the Jets session Friday.