On the verge of camp, and we’re counting it down …

Position: Center
Player: Nick Mangold

Summary:
Mangold, in three years, has been an anchor for this line and has gotten better over the course of that time. Coupled with two other solid players in Brandon Moore and Alan Faneca, it’s not hard to believe that the Jets interior running game was one of the best (3rd in Middle/Guard Adjusted Line Yards) in the league, according to Football Outsiders. Mangold has proven that he can take on both faster or larger tackles in the pass and turn or push back anyone in the running game.

Now in his fourth year, the line is capably in his hands, but he’s shown better results when he had either Kendall or Faneca in the slot next to him. Still as far as calling out line assignments, at this point, there’s no reason to think he can’t run the show on his own.

Moving Forward:
With Brandon Moore re-signed after that odd cut and re-signing the line is the same as last year. The interior will again be a strength for the running game this year, so look for lots of plays where the Jets run here … likely even more than last season. The Jets have three runners in Jones, Washington and Greene that can all run inside-out, so this could be an interesting year in that regard.

Questions:
Can Mangold and his unit stay at the top in terms of rankings on running plays? Just how long will his hair and beard get this year?

Filed under: Main Page