Denver Broncos should pay attention to Jets center competition

Some close to the team seem to think that rookie center Joe Tippmann may beat out Connor McGovern for the Jets' starting center job. The Denver Broncos should pay attention to that. McGovern left the Broncos for the Jets a few years ago after the 2019 season. He signed a $27 million deal with the team and played out all three years.

He continued to be one of the better starting centers in the NFL, and I was calling for the Broncos to sign him this offseason, as he was a free agent. However, McGovern decided to re-sign with the New York Jets on a very small deal. Moreover, the Jets also drafted one of the best centers in this class, Joe Tippman out of Wisconsin.

Apparently, the Jets may want Tippmann to start for them at center in week one. This is from Justin Fried, who covers the Jets for FanSided:

"The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt recently predicted that Tippmann would win the starting center job out of training camp this summer, insisting that the Jets want Tippmann to be their Week 1 starter.

Rosenblatt did suggest that McGovern "will get every opportunity to stave off the rookie," but it does seem like it might be Tippmann's job to lose. If he's ready for a starting role, the Jets aren't going to hold him back."

- Justin Fried

McGovern was projected to get much more on a new contract this offseason. He got a one-year deal worth just $1.9 million, and $1.2 million guaranteed. Moreover, the Jets also signed Wes Schweitzer in free agency. He was signed to be a backup interior offensive lineman, and he got $3.1 million guaranteed on his contract.

So, McGovern, who is one of the better centers in the NFL, may lose his job to a rookie, and is making less than someone the Jets signed specifically to be a backup along the OL. Do you see what I am seeing? The New York Jets may end up cutting Connor McGovern if Joe Tippmann shows enough in the offseason to be the starting center.

Cutting McGovern would be excellent news for the Denver Broncos, who have a ton of "blah" at center right now with Lloyd Cushenberry, a career backup in Kyle Fuller, and a seventh-round rookie in Alex Forsyth. I am not saying that none of them can turn into an eventual solid starter in the NFL, but I am saying that the Broncos can still do a lot better at this position.

What if none of the three mentioned players show much in the offseason to inspire a ton of confidence about the C1 job? What if, also, the Jets end up cutting McGovern? The Denver Broncos would have a lovely opportunity to beef up their situation at center with McGovern.

He's not an elite center, but he's probably the 15th or 16th best in the NFL at what he does among all starting centers. McGovern would make me feel even better about the Broncos' OL than I already do. Moreover, Connor McGovern can play both guard and center, which could be an added bonus.

Look, I am not saying this will happen, but the Denver Broncos may have an opportunity to improve their OL once more for very cheap.