Injury-forced switch to guard appears to be bringing out the best in Joe Tippmann

Joe Tippmann’s unexpected move from center to right guard has produced an immediate payoff for the New York Jets, as the lineman allowed no sacks or quarterback pressures and helped create lanes in a rushing attack that piled up 182 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tippmann, who spent the summer competing for the starting center job, was shifted to guard after veteran Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a torn triceps in practice before Week 1 and was ruled out for the season. The game marked Tippmann’s first regular-season action at guard since his 2023 rookie year.

"It was good," Tippmann said after practice. "It kind of took me back to rookie year. I just had the greater part of the week to get my feet underneath me and get back into the flow of everything. I look forward to being able to improve off of last week. The longer I’m at the position, the more I can lock in on the fine details that will be able to make me a great guard."

Tippmann credited a reduced mental load for the smoother transition, noting that not having to call protections and snap the ball allowed him to be more aggressive at the point of attack. "Playing center for as long as I did, it was something I kind of didn’t even realize," he said. "But now not having to snap it and just be able to fire off the ball on every play, it’s a huge advantage. Being able to get on somebody instead of having to think about the declarations. I’m going to help Josh as much as I can but at the same time I can kind of shut off a portion of my brain. Being able to without even thinking about it, just go get on somebody… there are advantages to it."

Coaches and league observers have suggested Tippmann’s skill set might suit guard play as well as—or possibly better than—center, the position at which he was drafted. With Vera-Tucker’s season-ending injury, Tippmann is expected to handle right guard duties for the foreseeable future, barring injury to incumbent center Josh Myers.

The Jets also made a roster move in the wake of the injury, elevating cornerback Korie Black from the practice squad. Black was a seventh-round pick of the New York Giants earlier in his career.

Discipline matters from the opener carried consequences as well: defensive end Will McDonald was fined $14,441 for making a violent gesture during the game against Pittsburgh.

Tippmann’s performance gives the Jets continuity and depth along the offensive front at a time when injuries have forced adjustments. The team will face scrutiny in the weeks ahead to see whether the early optimism about the line’s run-blocking will hold across a full slate of opponents and whether Tippmann’s move to guard becomes a longer-term solution.