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DN: Jets' center Wesley Johnson is preparing to take over for his 'big brother' Nick Mangold

C Mart

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C Mart

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Jets' center Wesley Johnson is preparing to take over for his 'big brother' Nick Mangold

BY DANIEL POPPER

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Sunday, August 6, 2017, 2:07 AM

For the past 11 years, as the Jets’ revolving door at starting quarterback whirled around and around with each passing season, fans could rely on the man snapping the ball, No. 74, center Nick Mangold.

Mangold was the offense’s anchor and a football savant with the kind of expansive and detailed knowledge that left younger offensive lineman in disbelief. A first-round pick in 2006, Mangold missed just four starts out of 160 in his first 10 seasons in the NFL. He was the model of consistency at one of the most important yet underrated positions in the league.

But Mangold is gone now, one of the many veterans whose Jets careers ended this past offseason as general manager Mike Maccagnan began a full-fledged rebuild for a franchise still seeking its first Lombardi Trophy since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. And the player tasked with supplanting Mangold in the middle of the O-line - fourth-year lineman Wesley Johnson - is fully aware of the enormous hole he must fill.

“He’s a guy that you don’t replace,” Johnson told the Daily News last week at Jets training camp in Florham Park.

And yet there’s reason for optimism. Mangold was meticulous at helping and aiding younger players, and he was instrumental in Johnson’s development in 2016.

“He was like my big brother,” Johnson said.

Last season, as Mangold battled multiple injuries and was placed on injured reserve for the first time in his career, Johnson started eight games and played significant time in three other contests after Mangold went down, first with a tweaked knee and then with a sprained ankle that eventually ended his season.

Even after landing on IR Dec. 8, though, Mangold was often at Jets practice, pacing the sideline in a walking boot.

“He always looked after the young guys. It was tough love. He was hard to deal with sometimes. But he always looked out for us,” Johnson said of Mangold. “He got put on IR at the end of the year. When most guys get put on IR, they check out: ‘I’m going to go spend time with my family.’ He didn’t. He was in my back pocket every practice, every game, and that meant the world to me because I have (offensive line coach Steve) Marshall and I have (assistant offensive line coach David Diaz-Infante), but I (also) have a guy who I think is a Hall of Famer telling my what I did wrong and what I did right every play.”

Johnson opted not to share any of the “tough love” moments.

“I want to keep his memory shining,” the former fifth-pick of the Steelers said with a chuckle.

Nonetheless, it’s clear the two linemen developed a strong bond off the field. In the locker room last season, Mangold and Johnson would walk around with Nerf guns, looking for opportunities to pester each other or their teammates.

“He’s a big Star Wars guy,” Johnson said. “I’m more of a Game of Thrones guy. But I like Star Wars.”

Most importantly, Johnson was able to pick Mangold’s brain and gain an understanding of the type of studying and expertise necessary to be a successful NFL center. Johnson is currently slated as the Jets’ starting center, according to Todd Bowles. But as is the case with virtually every position on the Jets roster, Johnson will have to continue earning his job for the remainder of training camp.

“The thing that I was most immediately impressed about Nick was his knowledge of the game and how smart he was,” Johnson said. “He knew the whole offense and then he knew stuff that offensive linemen have absolutely no business knowing, and he was able to correlate it all and make the right calls, be consistent every single play. He was incredibly consistent, and I think that’s the goal for offensive linemen.”

Initially, Johnson said Mangold’s football IQ was daunting.

“He says all this stuff, and you’re like, ‘Man, I don’t know what that means,’” Johnson said. “But you sit down and you piece it up, you learn it, and you see how he gets it. You see why he was in the league for 11 years, how he got such great experience and you begin to see the pictures the way he sees it.”

On the field last season, Johnson impressed the Jets coaching staff with his play.

“Wes is a very good NFL player,” Steve Marshall said. “I saw a lot of good things from him. He’s a natural leader. He’s very athletic, he’s smart, and he’s kind of got all the attributes you want in an NFL player.”

Johnson’s biggest takeaway from his extended action in 2016 was learning to control his emotions.

“When you go out there your first few games, you’re just chomping at the bit. You’re snarling, you’re snorting and you just want to go after it, show that you can play,” he said. “You got to be calm. You got to make the calls. You got to be in control, and you got to really take charge of what everybody’s doing.”

Mangold was in control for over a decade. Now Johnson is striving to do the same.  

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/wesley-johnson-ready-charge-jets-cut-nick-mangold-article-1.3387326

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3 hours ago, Ohio State NY Jets fan said:

Good read in a sea of bad news - Thanks for posting

Mangold was a great Jet, do you think he makes the ring of honor? 

Easily, because Mangold is a borderline HOF who played his whole career up to now as a Jet .   Was an excellent read .

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