The Jets released Nick Mangold, which leaves Wesley Johnson as their presumptive starter at center for the 2017 season.
One snag that could keep Johnson from taking over in the middle of the offensive line is his status as a restricted free agent this offseason. The Jets have made a move to help ensure Johnson doesn’t jump to another club.
According to multiple reports, the team has extended a second-round tender to Johnson. The tender carries a salary of $2.746 million for the 2017 season and anyone bidding to sign Johnson away would have to give the Jets a second-round pick in addition to crafting an offer that they don’t match.
Johnson made eight starts in place of an injured Mangold last season and saw action in all 16 games for the Jets. With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, the Jets can now turn their attention to matters like figuring out who Johnson will be snapping the ball to come the regular season.