The first “what the hell” moment of the offseason occurred on Friday when it was reported that the Tennessee Titans were set to release center Ben Jones, a move that wasn’t really expected.
Now, that’s not to say Jones’ future wasn’t in limbo going into the offseason, but that was because many thought he could retire. The thought was that if Jones did return, it would be to Nashville.
Clearly that was not the case, and interestingly enough it doesn’t even seem like keeping Jones was on the table. According to AtoZ Sports Nashville’s Buck Reising, Jones had the option of retirement or release, nothing else.
Putting all that aside for now, Jones is looking for a new home and he figures to garner plenty of attention as one of the best centers on the open market.
It’s always tough to predict where a player will land in free agency, and that’s true with Jones, as we don’t know how much he’ll weigh the chance to win a Super Bowl, which will limit his options.
There are some teams around the league that Jones has strong connections to that make sense, and one of those teams might give him the best chance to win out of the group.
We’ve included squads Jones has a connection with that need a center, as well as those he doesn’t have any significant ties to that need an upgrade at the position.
Arizona Cardinals
With Rodney Hudson not expected back, the Cardinals are in the market for a new center. New Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort, who was the Titans’ director of player personnel, knows full well the impact Jones can make on his new team.
Atlanta Falcons
Another Titans connection, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith no doubt wants to build something similar to what he had in Tennessee, and acquiring Jones would definitely help him do that.
Not to mention, beefing up the offensive line is especially important if the Falcons have a young quarterback like Desmond Ridder under center in 2023.
If all that wasn’t enough to consider the Falcons a potential landing spot, Jones is very familiar with Georgia after going to college there.
New York Jets
Two former Titans have relocated to the Big Apple in 2023, with former offensive line coach Keith Carter taking the same job with the Jets, and former offensive coordinator Todd Downing becoming New York’s passing-game coordinator
With the Jets looking like they might land Aaron Rodgers in a trade, bringing in veterans becomes even more important, as the future Hall-of-Fame signal-caller isn’t exactly fond of younger players.
Adding to that, Jones would be an upgrade for Gang Green, a team that is in win-now mode with or without Rodgers.
It’s hard to envision Jones playing in a market like New York, but having the chance to chase a Super Bowl should be enticing for the 33-year-old. If they land Rodgers, the Jets give Jones the best chance at his first ring of the teams listed here.
Houston Texans
Now this would be a tough pill to swallow.
After being drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft, Jones spent the first four years of his career in Houston before signing with the Titans in 2016.
There’s no doubt regret about letting Jones go has washed over the Texans for years now, but 2023 presents a chance to right that wrong for a team that is re-energized with the hire of head coach DeMeco Ryans, and with a No. 2 overall pick set to land them one of the top-two quarterbacks in the draft.
The only question is, would Jones really go back to Houston and face his old team two times per year, while also taking part in a rebuild? I don’t think he would, but that might depend on how amicable things ended in Nashville.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Even worse than Houston, Jones could land in Duval, where the Jaguars need a new center and are just a good offseason away from competing for bigger things in 2023.
The Jags present a decent opportunity for Jones to make a run at a ring if they stay on their current trajectory, and he’d be improving an already impressive offense that helped unseat his Titans from their divisional throne in 2022.
While going to the Texans would hurt, seeing Jones in Jacksonville would be unbearable to watch, not only because of the rivalry with the Jags, but also because Jacksonville is the biggest roadblock to Tennessee returning to an AFC South title for the foreseeable future.
Literally anywhere but Duval. Like Houston, I don’t see this one happening, either, but don’t rule it out if things between Jones and the Titans didn’t end well and the veteran wants to stick it to them.
Chicago Bears
There aren’t any significant Titans connections in Chicago for Jones, but the Bears do have a young quarterback who they desperately need to do protect better. Adding a veteran like Jones would certainly help stabilize things and aid in Justin Fields’ development.
The down side of joining the Bears for Jones is that he’ll have to be part of a rebuild, something I’m not sure he’s willing to do at this late stage in his career.
Washington Commanders
An area of weakness, the Commanders could use an upgrade at center, and that’s especially true if they roll with a young quarterback in 2023, which right now they are set to do with Sam Howell.
Washington’s roster has some good pieces but the franchise will be a mess as long as Daniel Snyder is the owner, and this isn’t a team that’s ready to compete now. I doubt Jones is keen on getting involved in D.C.
New York Giants
New York has been struggling upfront for years now, although things were much better for the group in 2022. Still, the Giants could use a better option at center, something Jones would provide, both as a run-blocker and pass-protector.
The Giants made the playoffs with a horrid roster in 20222, so things are going in the right direction. But I think if Jones does end up in New York, he’ll sign with the Jets.
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle didn’t get good center play in 2022. For a team that wants to run the football, Jones is a great fit, as he’s a better run-blocker than he is a pass-protector, but he’s certainly no slouch in the latter area.
Seattle is on the rise after an upstart 2023 campaign, so Jones could certainly do worse in terms of joining a team that gives him a chance to win.
Minnesota Vikings
With Garrett Bradbury set to hit free agency and command an estimated $12 million annually in a new deal, the Vikings could look to go slightly cheaper without sacrificing much, if anything at all in terms of quality of play. Jones’ last contract paid him an annual salary of $7 million, and while he figures to get more on the open market, it shouldn’t be too much more.
For Jones, the Vikings would be an attractive landing spot in the sense that they are a win-now team that figures to at least be competitive in 2023 following a 13-4 campaign.
