Jets' Joe Tippmann earns All-Rookie honors

The Jets have another young player to build around according to the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). This time it is Jets rookie center Joe Tippmann earning the accolades.

Tippmann was named to the All-Rookie team by PFWA as the starting Center. Tippmann beat out John Michael Schmitz, who was widely considered the top center prospect in the NFL draft last April, but the Jets selected Tippmann as the first center off the board with the 43^rd selection while Schmitz went at pick 57 to the New York Giants.

The honor for Tippmann comes one day after Sauce Garner was named to the PFWA All-NFL team and Quinnen Williams was named to the All-AFC Team.

The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams daily. The PFWA has selected an All-NFL team since 1966, and All-AFC and All-NFC teams since 1992. Each year in January, members select the PFWA’s On-Field Awards including All-NFL, All-AFC/NFC and All-Rookie teams along with individual awards for Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year. The PFWA On-Field Awards are announced during the week of the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

Tippmann represents a significant building block for the Jets who will be looking at a small window to make a Super Bowl run with Aaron Rodgers returning at quarterback in 2024.

Tippmann is a Major Building Block

Tippmann said the biggest area he has seen growth in is his confidence. Things did not start well for the Jets second round pick who started the year on the bench with Connor McGovern starting the season at center.

After a few weeks, the Jets got Tippmann in the game by putting him at right guard and he immediately began to show that he was built for the NFL. When McGovern went down with a season-ending injury in week eight against the Giants, Tippmann took over as starting center and it appears he will be there for a long time.

Tippmann is one of two offensive lineman I can confidently say will be back on the team and performing at a high level in 2024, along with Alijah Vera-Tucker. The Jets will be looking to remake most of their offensive line next season after an awful 2023. The Jets are likely to have at least two new starters along the line with a possibility of three.

The Jets have a long history of having one of the top centers in the game with Nick Mangold and Kevin Mawae and while I wouldn’t put Tippmann in that category yet, he may well be on his way.