Jets' Connor McGovern relishes chance to compete for the starting center job

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Connor McGovern returned to the Jets knowing he would have to fight to keep his job, and looking forward to that battle.

McGovern was the Jets starting center the past three years. They didn’t re-sign him until a few days before the draft. The Jets already signed Wes Schweitzer and Trystan Colon in free agency and were plotting to draft Joe Tippmann.

The Jets let McGovern know he would be competing for a job if he re-signed. He accepted their one-year, $1.9 million offer and the challenge.

“It does nothing but make you better,” McGovern said. “It makes [Tippmann] better, Wes better, Trystan better. We’re all fighting for our livelihood. When your back’s in the corner, you’re going to get the best out of every one of us.

“Whether I was with this team or any other team, I’m going to treat it as 'it’s my job, you got to take it away from me'. … It’s just there in the back of my mind that I know I’m competing and my job is definitely not safe, but I never acted like it was.”

It appears to be McGovern’s job to lose. He has spent the first five practices of training camp snapping the ball to Aaron Rodgers. Robert Saleh said Tippman, a second-round pick who was working with the third team Tuesday, has so much to learn and absorb as a rookie.

Saleh said McGovern is “by far the most comfortable” playing the position right now, but they all would get an “equal opportunity” to earn the job.

The Jets are comfortable with McGovern, too. He has missed just two games in his three years as a Jet and had a solid 2022 season at center. His experience, knowledge and how quickly he picks up the offense and what Rodgers wants are important factors.

As luck would have it, the Jets re-signed McGovern a few hours before completing their trade for Rodgers. McGovern joked, “I don’t think anybody even knew I signed back.”

Becton limited

Mekhi Becton didn’t participate in the last few team periods. Playing left tackle with Zach Wilson at quarterback, Becton was beaten more than once for a would-be sack. But Saleh said Becton was held out because he’s still on “a pitch count” following knee surgery last year.

“He’s done so much to drop his weight and get into shape,” Saleh said. “He’s got to trust his knee and find a way to get comfortable with it, but he’s moving in the right direction.”

Two-minute drill

Rodgers threw his first interception of camp. Saleh called it “little execution error” that led to Rodgers sailing a pass over Jeremy Ruckert and into Sauce Gardner’s arms. … Rookie edge rusher Will McDonald IV - back after missing four practices due to a contusion - had a “sack” on Wilson. … Rookie running back Izzy Abanikanda broke free for a long TD run. … Allen Lazard didn’t practice due to muscle tightness in his left leg.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.