Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson made sure to lock Ben Jones up for a few more years prior to the 2019 campaign — and the move paid off.
Jones was among the best centers in the NFL in 2019, posting a Pro Football Focus grade of 77.2, the third-best for qualified players. It was also the best mark of his entire career.
Most importantly, in a year in which the guys around him on the offensive line struggled early on, the Georgia product was rock solid in pass protection, as evidenced by his elite grade of 86.8 in that department, which was mostly a result of his being able to limit pressure.
Not only was Jones one of four centers to log 250 pass-blocking snaps and post a pressure rate of two percent or lower, he also allowed the fourth-fewest QB pressures (nine) at the position.
BIG happy birthday for the BIG man Ben Jones! 🎊
He allowed 9 QB pressures last season, the 4th fewest among all centers in the NFL 💪#Titanup pic.twitter.com/fU2IPNNQ2m
— PFF TEN Titans (@PFF_Titans) July 2, 2020
What makes these numbers even more impressive is that the guard spots on either side of him were a mess for almost the entire first half of the season, and in the case of the right guard, longer than that.
Rodger Saffold didn’t really get going until around the midway point of the campaign, and Nate Davis didn’t start playing well up until near the end of the season. Before him, Jamil Douglas was an abject disaster.
Despite all the woes around him, Jones remained strong and was able to produce his best season as a pro. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Jones emerge as the best center in the NFL in 2020.
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