Joe Tippmann will get a Week 1 reunion in Tennessee, and he sounds ready for it.
When the Jets open the 2026 regular season against the Titans, they’ll be facing more than just a new opponent. Tennessee is bringing back Robert Saleh, now in his first year with the Titans after the Jets moved on from him almost two years ago.
And Saleh won’t be alone. The Titans also have a handful of familiar names in the mix, including John Franklin-Myers, Solomon Thomas and recently traded edge Jermaine Johnson.
That gives Tippmann, who’s been with the Jets since 2023, a chance to line up against a defense and a group of players he knows well. Olu Fashanu also has some overlap there, having come into the league during the final stretch of Saleh’s run in New York.
Tippmann made it clear on Wednesday that the matchup has his attention.
"I'm excited to see him (Saleh) see that defense again, see quite a few of the guys that I used to play with early on in my career. JFM (Franklin-Myers), I think Solly's (Thomas) there, Jermaine (Johnson). Excited to compete against those guys again and compete against that solid defense that I started off my career going against."
For Tippmann, that familiarity could matter when the Jets are trying to protect Geno Smith. He’s spent enough time working against Franklin-Myers and Thomas to know what they bring, and that history could help New York’s line settle in quickly.
None of it guarantees an advantage, though. Saleh’s scheme won’t look exactly like it did in New York, and the personnel has changed since those earlier meetings. Still, there’s a case to be made that the Jets’ blockers know a little more about this setup than most Week 1 opponents usually do.
And Saleh’s latest defensive résumé doesn’t exactly scream unstoppable. Last season with the 49ers, his defense finished last in the league in total sacks with 20, and the group took a major hit when former All-Pro Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending injury.
In Other News...
Joe Tippmann Just Raised A Real Jets O-Line Concern
Joe Tippmanns move from center to guard has already become one of the more important quiet developments for the Jets entering the 2025 season. After shifting over because of an injury to another player, Tippmann handled the position well enough to earn a four-year extension, a strong sign that the team sees him as part of the long-term answer on the interior of its offensive line.
The lingering issue is what happens if the Jets need help back at center. Tippmanns recent comments suggested he has not been working on snapping the ball, which points to Jordan Meredith as the more likely emergency option there. For a line that is trying to build stability, it is a reminder that depth and flexibility still matter just as much as the starting five. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Send Troubling Message About Their Quarterback Depth Before Week 1
The Jets are taking a look at more quarterback depth just before Week 1, bringing in Jack Plummer and Will Levis for workouts as practice squad possibilities. It is a reminder of how quickly the position can change behind Geno Smith, with rookie Cade Klubnik currently serving as the backup on the 53-man roster and the team still evaluating how much insurance it wants to carry.
Plummer has been coming off a strong run in the UFL, while Levis arrives with NFL starting experience after being released by Tennessee. The fact that both names are in the mix suggests the Jets are keeping their options open, but it also leaves an obvious question hanging over the roster as the opener approaches: whether the current quarterback room is settled enough for comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Have One Real Reason To Believe This Time
The Jets are coming off a brutal 3-14 season, one defined as much by the defenses troubles as by the overall results, but there is a different kind of buzz around this offseason. New quarterback Geno Smith arrived as part of a broader wave of additions, and the mood around the building has shifted from resignation to guarded belief, with some around the team seeing at least a path toward a much more competitive 2026.
Garrett Wilson is one of the voices feeding that optimism, saying he thinks the roster has the pieces to be playing meaningful games in December 2026. For a franchise that has spent years asking its fan base to simply trust the process, the challenge now is turning those encouraging words and new faces into something more tangible once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]