Underrated Jets Starter Named 2024 Breakout Candidate

Getty New York Jets center Joe Tippman was named the team's 2024 breakout candidate.

The New York Jets have loaded up on the offensive line, but a returning starter in Joe Tippmann was named the team’s top 2024 breakout candidate.

Bradley Locker with Pro Football Focus gave out their breakout candidates for every AFC team. He laid out why Tippmann is expected to become a valuable starting center this season.

“It’s never easy for a rookie center to assimilate into the pros, especially when you cycle through working with six quarterbacks,” Locker wrote. “Tippmann started and ended well, amassing four games with an overall grade of at least 71.5. With Joe Douglas adding Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, John Simpson and Olu Fashanu, Tippmann should benefit because of his surroundings, not to mention working with Aaron Rodgers — who’s seen a good center or two.”

A breakout season from Tippman would be icing on the cake for the Jets. His breakout season combined with all of the OL additions could be a huge boost to New York’s offense.

Joe Tippmann’s Path to the NFL

It’s not a surprise that Tippmann started as an NFL rookie. His entire football career has suggested he’d be a pro-ready offensive lineman.

Tippmann was a 4-star recruit out of Fort Wayne, Indiana back in 2019. His offers included multiple Big Ten programs, but he opted to play for the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Badgers moved Tippmann to center, where he was a two-year starter in 2021 and 2022. He left Madison as a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention with three Academic All-Big Ten selections.

The Jets took Tippmann in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft and immediately threw him into the fire. He finished his rookie year with 16 appearances and 14 starters while earning a PFWA All-Rookie selection.

It was hard to get a complete picture of Tippmann last season with so much inconsistency at quarterback. The Jets will get a much clearer idea of what he’s capable of in 2024 as long as Rodgers can stay healthy.

Other Jets Offensive Line Updates

Along with some new faces, the Jets have made some key decision about the future of their offensive line heading into training camp.

Alijah Vera-Tucker has bounced around the offensive line to start his NFL career. After playing tackle and guard in his first two seasons, he will only focus on playing right guard in 2024.

The Jets face a similar decision with first-round pick Olu Fashanu. The rookie played left tackle at Penn State, and the initial plan was for him to train there behind Tyron smith. However, that plan could change as the Jets focus on getting their best five players out on the field.

That being said, the Jets may want to focus on avoiding another Vera-Tucker situation. There’s also the possibility of Fashanu beating out Smith for the left tackle job, and that’s something that ESPN’s Jordan Reid believes is a possibility.

Regardless of where everyone plays, it’s clear that the Jets made upgrading their offensive line a major priority for the 2024 season in order to keep Rodgers healthy throughout the upcoming season.

As long as Rodgers stays upright, the Jets have a chance at contending for a Super Bowl.