AP Photo/Wade Payne
As the New York Jets await the impending trade for star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they reportedly are also looking to address other needs remaining on the roster.
According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets are eyeing free-agent center Ben Jones, who has familiarity with New York’s new offensive line coach, Keith Carter, from their five years together with the Tennessee Titans.
Jones was released by Tennessee earlier this month with a failed physical designation. The move saved the Titans $3.7 million in cap space, though they incurred a dead-money hit of $4.6 million.
“He embodied a lot of the qualities we talk about when we describe a Titans player,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said of Jones at the time of his release. “He was a great teammate; his toughness was off the charts, and he had a leadership quality that was earned through the relationships he built and the dedication to the game he showed to his teammates.”
After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Houston Texans, Jones signed with the Titans as a free agent in 2016. He quickly emerged as a leader on the offense, becoming a two-time team captain and starting 108 of 114 games over his seven years with the team. He anchored an offensive line that paved the way for one of the top rushing attacks in the league, and he was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season as an alternate.
The Jets are in need of a new center after veteran Connor McGovern became an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He had been the team’s starting center since the 2020 season.
New York is surely hoping to have the right protection in place when Rodgers arrives. The team allowed 42 sacks last year after dealing with injuries to multiple key players like Alijah Vera-Tucker, George Fant, Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton.
The Jets will need to be better for Rodgers, who will turn 40 later this year. Adding Jones would be a step in the right direction.
