Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
New York Post
Aaron Rodgers challenges Joe Tippmann to become Jets’ leader on offensive line
By Andrew Crane,
4 hours ago
Back in August 2014, before Aaron Rodgers orchestrated his second MVP season and Joe Tippmann was still six years away from playing a college football game in the same state, the Packers needed to make a late pivot.
JC Tretter, the starting center, sustained a preseason knee injury that sidelined him into the regular season.
Corey Linsley, a fifth-round pick that year, slid up the depth chart, started all 16 games as a rookie and helped the Green Bay offensive line — “probably our best line over the years we had,” Rodgers said Wednesday — anchor a run that was one blown lead and one botched onside kick away from reaching the Super Bowl.
Joe Tippmann is going into his second season with the Jets. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
The Jets’ center outlook entering 2024 is different.
There wasn’t an injury prompting a last-minute change.
Tippmann will enter his sophomore season.
Aaron Rodgers looks on during Jets practice on July 27, 2024. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
But during his first training camp press conference, Rodgers brought up Tippmann unprompted in an answer about the Jets’ standard and tone.
He won’t flip between first- and second-team reps, either.
Tippmann’s development as a rookie has positioned him to become a mainstay on an offensive line that has 30 years of NFL experience among the projected starters.
And Rodgers, the 40-year-old quarterback depending on it, wants to “empower” Tippmann and see him “take it over” — just as Linsley did 10 seasons ago.
“He stepped in and got those guys going, and they listened to him,” Rodgers said of Linsley. “I think [Tippmann] can do that, so we got to empower the leadership.”
Corey Linsley snaps to Aaron Rodgers during a Packers-Buccaneers game on Oct. 18, 2020. AP
Stability in training camp has helped.
Last year, Tippmann entered as the competitor trying to snag the job from Connor McGovern.
His first NFL start came at right guard in Week 3 after Duane Brown’s injury.
Joe Tippmann (No. 66) in drills at Jets training camp on July 27, 2024. USA TODAY Sports
But by Nov. 6, just eight weeks into the season and the game after McGovern went down with a season-ending knee injury, Tippmann was at center.
The results were promising.
He allowed just three sacks, according to Pro Football Focus, and while seven of his eight penalties occurred after his switch, he settled into the new role — with head coach Robert Saleh predicting in December that Tippmann would be a “very good center for a long time” — and set a foundation for 2024.
During an OTA session in June, longtime Jets center Nick Mangold helped Tippmann with technique and footwork. Tippmann asked questions and got Mangold’s phone number, with Mangold telling him that he could call or text at any point.
Then, Tippmann incorporated those insights into his routine.
“Hopping around and everything, it definitely … helped me to be a better player — kind of to be able to see from a guard perspective what a great center can do, how they can help you, how they can level-up your game,” Tippmann said Thursday. “But it is a good feeling just being able to lock in one position, one technique and kinda not having that little extra mental strain of learning both, going out and executing both each day.”
Aaron Rodgers speaks to the media at Jets training camp on July 24, 2024. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
A productive season from Tippmann would mark his latest step toward etching a place in the Jets’ long-term plans.
But in the short term, he’ll represent a layer of consistency for a unit that kept shuffling in 2023 and allowed 64 sacks.
Right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker returned to team periods last week and will gradually increase his rep limit after a torn Achilles.
Right tackle Morgan Moses was trending toward a return at the end of last week, too.
The left side of the line — Tyron Smith at tackle, John Simpson at guard — is already intact.
And at the center of all that, quite literally, is Tippmann.
He impressed Smith by being “very mature for his age.” Rodgers dished out his own compliment.
It’s what the Jets envisioned when they drafted Tippmann out of Wisconsin.
It’s what they’ll need to help the offense function this season, too.
Then, and maybe then, Tippmann could be at the crux of a deep postseason run just like Linsley was for Rodgers as a young center.
“Tippmann has really kinda blossomed this year for sure,” said Vera-Tucker, who also described him as a “technician.” “Yeah, [Tippmann], he’s gonna be a baller.”
For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0