Ahead of the Week 15 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets locked up one of their own.
The team signed starting center Josh Myers to a two-year $11 million contract extension that included $6 million in guarantees.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini wrote in a column on Sunday, December 14, “The Myers move likely means former center Joe Tippmann will remain at guard.”
A Forever Home for a Key Jets Offensive Lineman
Before the 2025 season, the Jets’ offensive line seemed set. From left to right: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, John Simpson, Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Armand Membou.
However, AVT suffered a devastating torn triceps injury days before the season. That left a gaping hole at right guard. Myers, a backup Jets offensive lineman, hadn’t played guard since his high school and college days.
So Tippmann, “selflessly,” as head coach Aaron Glenn described it, slid over from center to right guard to help out the team. That allowed Myers, who had 56 games of starting experience at center from his Green Bay Packers days, to fill in where he was most comfortable.
“He deserves it, he deserves it. Again, he [Myers] came to a team where he knew there was going to be competition and stiff competition at that, you don’t get that too often, where you have a guy like Tipp that has started, and he is a guy that was a starter. He came in, and he wanted to battle. Listen, I feel very fortunate that he chose us, this team, and me to be his coach to come in and battle for that spot,” head coach Aaron Glenn explained on Friday, December 12 on the Myers extension.
“He has done everything that you would want to be done as a player … So he deserved it, he deserved it, and I’m happy for him,” Coach Glenn added.
Now it appears Tippmann will hold his position at right guard.
In 2025, he exclusively played right guard. Last season, he exclusively played center. As a rookie, Tippmann split time between guard and center in 2023.
Jets Are Doing Tippmann a Solid With Positional Switch
Tippmann is set to be a free agent in 2027. He will be heading into his contract year in 2026. What position he plays will critically factor into what his next contract looks like.
Consider this: the highest-paid center in football makes $18 million per year, via Over The Cap. That top billing currently belongs to Kansas City Chiefs big man Creed Humphrey.
There is more money to be made at the guard positions.
The highest-paid left guard in football makes $24 million per season. Dallas Cowboys hog molly Tyler Smith currently boasts that annual salary, per Over The Cap.
The highest-paid right guard in the NFL makes $23.5 million per year via Over The Cap. Another member of the Chiefs’ O-Line, Trey Smith, is at the top of that market.
In other words, there is a significant gap between the top of the center market versus the top of the guard market.
There is a $6 million gap between the highest-paid left guard and the highest-paid center in the NFL. There is also a $5.5 million gap between the highest-paid right guard and the highest-paid center in the league.
Tippmann was drafted to be the next great Jets center. The team has had a rich history of center play, including 18 consecutive seasons of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae and the late great Ring of Honor Nick Mangold.
Tippmann was expected to follow in those footsteps. However, an injury that he had no control over could be a massive blessing in disguise that gives his bank account a few more zeroes when it comes to negotiating time.
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