One of the biggest decisions the Green Bay Packers made this offseason was to rearrange some of the players on their offensive line. While tackles Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker remain in place (amid contract extension rumors for both players, who are entering the final season of their respective rookie deals), the right guard spot is up for grabs and the team will have a new left guard and center.
After allowing Josh Myers to walk in free agency, Green Bay decided to move two-time Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins to center, the position that he played in college and did play briefly for the Packers when Myers was injured in 2021. Additionally, Aaron Banks was signed to take Jenkins’ place at left guard.
Former Green Bay Packers Center Josh Myers Signed with the New York Jets
Since the Packers decided not to bring him back, Myers hit the free agent market. It appears, however, that there were not many teams interested in giving him a long-term deal. As a result, he signed a one-year $2 million contract with the New York Jets.
Interestingly, Myers has been a starter for his entire NFL career, yet with the Jets, he is projected to be a backup interior lineman. Former Wisconsin Badgers lineman Joe Tippmann is currently their starting center.
Yet, despite the fact that he may not start, John Molnar of Empire Sports Media believes that Myers is a “sneaky great signing:”
“Myers gives the Jets a player who is competent and competitive, backing up the interior. Having a quality player like Myers as a backup means the starters will have to play at a higher level to ensure they don’t turn their jobs over.
“Myers being on this team will also help game plan in between weeks, as he’ll be able to help the lineman and doing specific techniques against certain fronts.
“Myers is a player who has been healthy over the last three years, and in every game he has been available for, he has started. He gives the Jets someone they could trust to be ready whenever he is needed and called upon.
“This signing, for how cheap it is (one-year, $2 million), is a low-key, solid pickup for the Jets. They get a quality backup lineman who could impact them this season, and it provides a safety net to fall back on if their plans in the line fall apart.”
Myers is, indeed, an adequate pass blocker. However, he is a below-average run blocker, something that became painfully apparent last season as the Packers were forced to run the ball more with Jordan Love dealing with injuries. This may prove to be a factor that keeps him from starting in New York, especially with a mobile quarterback like Justin Fields.
