Jets sign center to reunite him with Justin Fields after their Ohio State days and multiple battles as NFC North rivals
Justin Fields and Josh Myers were close at Ohio State, just like a quarterback-center relationship has to be. When they were drafted, destiny put them in rival franchises, with Fields on the Chicago Bears and Myers on the Green Bay Packers.Four years later, they are together again. After signing the quarterback during the legal tampering […]
Justin Fields and Josh Myers were close at Ohio State, just like a quarterback-center relationship has to be. When they were drafted, destiny put them in rival franchises, with Fields on the Chicago Bears and Myers on the Green Bay Packers.
Four years later, they are together again.
After signing the quarterback during the legal tampering period, the Jets have agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Myers, who had been let go by the Packers.
A former second-round pick, Myers started at center for his entire rookie contract in Green Bay. With the Jets, he is expected to back up Joe Tippmann. A move to guard could be intriguing, but he's never played at that position in the NFL.
Why the Packers allowed him to leave
Myers was a second-round pick in 2021. His problem has always been inconsistency, which is particularly troubling for an offensive lineman. Myers has impressive highlights framing his size and athletic ability, but also shows too many bad moments. Last season, he gave up a career high 29 pressures and five quarterback hits.
For the Packers specifically, there was a shadow and a feeling of what they could have made. In 2021, All-Pro center Creed Humphrey was still on the draft board when Brian Gutekunst took Myers, one of the most obvious scouting mistakes of his career as a general manager.
Throughout the final year of his rookie deal, the Packers praised in unison Myers' importance to the offense, though. His ability to make pre-snap checks and help the unit with his mental prowess was frequently mentioned.
In his first four NFL seasons, Josh Myers was better as a pass-blocker. According to PFF, the center has run-blocking grades between 52 and 56 in each of his four years.]
The Packers' decision to let Myers hit free agency was to some degree an admission of a failed plan. In 2021, Green Bay allowed All-Pro center Corey Linsley to walk in free agency and sign with the Los Angeles Chargers. That decision was correct, and Linsley has already retired, but the replacement plan did not work as the Packers hoped.
And the Packers' own free agency actions materialized their plan. The team signed left guard Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million deal, giving the coaching staff the flexibility to move Elgton Jenkins to center.
Buckeyes together
Josh Myers played at Ohio State between 2017 and 2020. In his final two years there, he played alongside new Jets quarterback Justin Fields. In college, Myers was a Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Ten in 2020.
When they were drafted by rivals in 2021, it generated a funny reaction. Asked about a Bears assistant coach about who his center was and where he had been, Fields' answer was:
"The wrong team."
Fields spent three years on the Bears before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason, while Myers spent his entire rookie contract in Green Bay.
Jets signing of Justin Fields shows that the old regime is as clueless as the last one
The New York Jets have their quarterback for 2025, and it’s one they passed on in 2021. The Jets have signed Justin Fields to a two-year deal worth $40 million and $30 million guaranteed. AtoZ Sports’ Pittsburgh Steelers Writer Rob Gregson had this to say about Fields joining the Jets. Fields is unlikely to miraculously […]
