For the better part of the 21st century, the New York Jets have been spoiled at the center position.
In 1998 Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae joined the team via free agency and held down the fort through 2005. He earned five first-team All-Pro nominations and six Pro Bowl berths during that span.
After that amazing run, the Jets took some guy named Nick Mangold with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft. The former Ohio State product would end up spending his entire 11-year career with the green and white becoming one of the best centers in football.
Over the last few years, the Jets have been desperately trying to fill the void and one of their answers may soon no longer be on the team.
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The Epitaph Has Seemingly Been Written
Jets analyst and Badlands feed co-host Joe Caporoso provided some juicy predictions over the Memorial Day Weekend. One of the most interesting was his ‘futures’ prediction on veteran Connor McGovern:
“This will be Connor McGovern’s last year as the team’s starting center.”
Now that sort of makes sense with 2022 being the last year of McGovern’s contract, per Spotrac.
He originally joined the team back in 2020 when McGovern signed a three-year $27 million free-agent contract.
After a very disappointing first season with the Jets where he struggled mightily earning a 62.2 overall PFF grade and a dismal 42.7 pass block grade, many speculated the team could move on very quickly.
Here’s a nugget from @JFowlerESPN that’s not getting enough love on Twitter: #Packers center Corey Linsley ➡️ #Jets. In his report he suggested kicking Connor McGovern to guard & called #NYJ the ‘best fit’ for Linsley this offseason.
Despite outside speculation, the Jets decided to stick by their guy.
Fast forward a year later and the rumors were once again flying that Gang Green could look to move on.
There is A LOT OF SMOKE around the #Jets, #Bucs center Ryan Jensen.
@DanGrazianoESPN reiterated that for @espn saying to keep an eye out on NYJ.
This is either the biggest smokescreen in history or the most obvious love affair in free agency.
Regardless of how loud the noise got this offseason, the Jets chose to stick by their veteran once again.
An Underappreciated Soul
All of the pessimism around McGovern was warranted after a tough year in 2020, however, McGovern bounced back in a major way last season.
The 29-year-old had a career year registering impressive PFF grades across the board:
- 75.9 overall
- 68.0 pass-blocking grade
- 78.9 run-blocking grade
If you listened to former Jets veteran and current NFL analyst Damien Woody last summer, he actually predicted this remarkable turnaround:
Connor McGovern (@McGovenator60) didn’t play well in 2020, but former #Jets stud @damienwoody made a compelling case on Badlands (@JCaporoso, @ConnorJRogers) why he’s destined for a bounceback in 2021:
The basis of his argument is the talent around you can affect you mightily on the offensive line. If McGovern played next to poor talent at guard, his play would suffer and vice-versa if he played next to good talent at guard he could skyrocket.
Now heading into 2022 he will be lining up next to what general manager Joe Douglas called, “one of, if not the best guard combinations in all of football.”
The #Jets wanted to build a wall around QB Zach Wilson (@ZachWilson) & they did.
GM Joe Douglas called Laken Tomlinson (@laken77) + Alijah Vera-Tucker (@ALIJAHVT) “one of, if not the best guard combinations” in the #NFL & he is freaking right! What a turnaround! #TakeFlight
While it does appear the epitaph has been seemingly written on McGovern’s exit with the Jets, he could go out with a bang.
During his entire Jets tenure, McGovern has never played with this level of talent around him which could foretell a career year incoming in 2022.
While he has never been one of the best centers in the NFL, McGovern certainly hasn’t been one of the worst. It is very possible the caviar past of Mangold and Mawae has tainted how Jets fans view the center position and have had too high of expectations.
There has been a recent movement on social media that has suggested McGovern could be the most underappreciated member of the team. After hearing the full story, we’ll let the fans be the judge of that.
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