Less than a week before the 2023 NFL Draft, and more than a month after the start of free agency, the Jets had a glaring need at their starting center position.
That was until Monday morning when Gang Green decided to bring back a familiar face by re-signing incumbent starter Connor McGovern. Terms of McGovern’s contract were not disclosed.
Last season, 11 different players started on the Jets’ offensive line during the 2022 season. McGovern was the only one of them to start in all 17 games for the club.
McGovern was originally a fifth-round pick of the Broncos in 2016, coming out of Missouri. He played four seasons in Denver before signing with the Jets in 2020.
During his three seasons with the Jets, McGovern has played 3,055 offensive snaps (2020-22), the most on the team in that span and 32nd most in the NFL. Last season, according to Pro Football Focus, McGovern allowed five sacks and committed four penalties as he finished with a 69.6 grade.
At the NFL Annual Meetings last month, Jets general manager Joe Douglas told reporters the team had some interest in former Titans center Ben Jones. However, that never manifested into anything more than that. Jones’ former offensive line coach Keith Carter [coach/run game coordinator] and offensive coordinator at Tennessee, Todd Downing [passing game coordinator] both joined the Jets coaching staff this offseason.
There was some thought that the Jets could potentially select a center in this week’s draft. Although Gang Green still possibly could with one of their two picks in the second round [42nd and 43rd overall], they would like a more veteran center with the expectation of adding quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a trade with the Packers soon.
NFL Media reported on Sunday that the Jets and Packers have re-started their trade talks surrounding Rodgers. While no deal is imminent, both teams hope a trade can be finalized this week.
The Jets would like to get Rodgers into their offseason program at some point before mandatory minicamp, which will be held June 13-15. Gang Green began its offseason program last week with Organized Team Activities scheduled to start May 22. The Packers would also like to receive draft compensation from the Jets this year and next year.
On March 15, Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show that he intended to play for the Jets in 2023 after the Packers wanted to move on to Jordan Love after the team selected him in the first round of the 2020 draft. Love sat three seasons behind Rodgers and the team has until May 1 to pick up his fifth-year option.
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