Joe Tippmann embracing his Jets role one year after surprise switch

It’s been exactly one year since the trajectory of Joe Tippmann’s career changed. 

It was at this time last year that Alijah Vera-Tucker tore his triceps, an injury that sidelined him the entire season. Just days before the Jets’ Week 1 opener, it left them scrambling to fill the hole at guard. 

Tippmann, who had primarily been a center his first two seasons in the league, shifted over to right guard, while Josh Myers was inserted at center. And he handled the switch well, starting all 17 games at guard and earning himself a four-year extension worth $66 million.

Now, he is firmly cemented at the position. 

“It’s been a great transition,” Tippmann said before practice Wednesday. “If we would’ve said it at the beginning of camp last year, I would’ve said, ‘Oh no, that won’t happen.’ It’s something that, as soon as they told me Week 1 of the season, ‘Hey, we need you to move over,’ I fully embraced it. Now, at this point, it’s something that I’m really excited about, getting to continue playing guard. 

“There’s a whole other aspect of it. I joke with Josh, I just tell him that guard is so much easier. Just because you get that whole aspect of having to make the points and all that [as a center]. You get to walk up to the line, wait for what Josh says and make your decision based off that. It’s been a smooth transition. I definitely like the guard position and I’m definitely comfortable here.” 

It’s been much more straightforward this time around, having a full season, OTAs, training camp and preseason knowing exactly where he’ll be. 

It’s part of a theme of stability for the entire offensive line unit, with the Jets returning four of five starters in what is supposed to be one of their strengths. 

“Just being able to lock into this group and be able to sit there and build off each other for such an extended period of time, it’s been a good feeling,” Tippmann said. “Good to just keep learning together. Learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses, where we can help each other out, it’s all been good. It definitely opens up that dialogue where we can be honest with each other, we can help each other out. I think it’s just something that’s great for the room.” 

As he continues to develop as a guard, it’s actually the one newcomer to the starting unit — Dylan Parham — whom he’s leaned on most. 

“Me and him, both being guards, he was quickly a guy that I could stop and say, ‘Hey, how do you like to attack this block, this pass pro rep? What’s your thoughts here?’” Tippmann said. “Quickly we were able to get into the flow of being able to bounce that off each other and stuff that helps me, stuff that helps him and just being able to learn together and grow together.”