The New York Jets lost a key reserve offensive lineman on Saturday, September 7 when they placed Wes Schweitzer on injured reserve with a hand injury.
He will be out for at least four games, but it could be longer.
It’s time for the Jets to immediately bring back a familiar face in Connor McGovern. Quite frankly it’s long overdue.
It’s Time for a Good Ole Jets Family Reunion
In June, Connor Long of Jets X-Factor cited the Jets’ need for more interior offensive line depth. That was before the Schweitzer injury.
When head coach Robert Saleh was asked if Xavier Newman is the new top backup on the interior offensive line he responded, “We have a lot of options.”
One of those options is outside the building. McGovern, 31, is still a free agent and could make a lot of sense for the Jets. Before the Schweitzer injury, a McGovern signing made sense to bring in some much-needed depth. It makes even more sense after.
The eight-year NFL pro has appeared in 102 games and has made 91 starts. The majority of his playing time has come at center, but he does have some experience playing right guard from his time with the Denver Broncos.
Last year he officially passed the torch from himself to up-and-coming offensive lineman Joe Tippmann. If McGovern were to be brought in, it would be exclusively as a backup with a chance to step up in case of an emergency.
Longtime former offensive lineman and current ESPN analyst Damien Woody once told me that you don’t need all five of your starters in the trenches to be All-Pros.
As long as you have a couple of guys that can hold it together, you can work others in. McGovern just has to be solid, nothing spectacular. That is a line he has held his entire career in the pros.
The former Missouri product was never named to a Pro Bowl nor did he receive an All-Pro selection. However, he has been a mainstay in the league for nearly a decade. That doesn’t happen by accident.
We are in the midst of Week 1 which isn’t ideal timing-wise to bring someone in. However, McGovern has spent the last four years with the Jets and there is some familiarity there which could accelerate his acclimation process.
McGovern Would Be Incredibly Cheap, but for Now in-House Option Are the Answer
Last year McGovern signed a one-year deal for just $1.9 million to return to the Jets.
For the immediate at least, the Jets will turn to some in-house options. Ahead of the Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team plans on promoting an offensive lineman from their practice squad.
As long as a starting offensive lineman doesn’t get hurt, that player they elevate won’t have to play in the game. It’ll be a temporary solution for a problem the Jets will have to deal with when they have a little more time on their hands.
One solution they should consider strongly is bringing McGovern back. He has a great relationship with Tippmann, he has experience in the NFL, and he would provide some insurance at the center position.
Uber cool story: #Jets center Connor McGovern said the team told him before he signed that they were drafting a youngster (Joe Tippmann) + CM said the competition has made him better + also said if part of his legacy is helping out Tipp, then awesome, ‘if I can turn him into a…
