No ‘Yips’ Allowed as Jets Set Up No. 1 Position Battle at Camp

Almost every position on the New York Jets offense is stabilized with a designated starter. 

One position group isn't so secure, though. 

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn turned heads this offseason when he announced that third-year center Joe Tippmann would compete for the starting job with free agent acquisition Josh Myers. 

When New York first agreed to the deal with Myers, the former Green Bay Packer was initially expected to be an essential veteran backup for Tippmann and the guards on the starting line. His mere $3 million cap hit was seen as a defense of that notion. 

But things changed the moment Glenn made those comments. 

Now, Tippmann is in a position battle for his job. 

It's almost incredible to consider that based on his year in 2024. 

Last season, Tippmann was ranked as one of the best centers in the league. Pro Football Focus graded him as the ninth-best player at his position and one of the better run blockers in the league. 

Meanwhile, Myers was average with the Packers in 2024 despite starting over 50 games during his four-year career. 

So what gives? Why are the Jets creating a position battle for a player who is not only young (Tippmann is just entering his third year as a former second-round pick) but also very solid as a starter?

The answer goes back to the last training camp. 

During the dog days of camp in 2024, Tippmann struggled mightily with one of the basic functions of his job:

Snapping the football. 

During that stretch, Tippmann's snaps would go over the quarterback's head multiple times while former head coach Robert Saleh made it clear he was going through the "yips."

This new regime, led by Glenn, clearly will not allow the "yips" to return this offseason. 

So, while Tippmann should be seen as the favorite to win the starting center job, the position battle is far from over. And it's one of the underrated storylines heading into training camp this year for New York.