NFL Fans Furious After Surprise Second-Round Center Pick Stuns Analysts
By 813 Staff
In a development that changes the playoff picture, NFL Fans Furious After Surprise Second-Round Center Pick Stuns Analysts, according to Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) (on June 5, 2026).
Source: https://x.com/RapSheet/status/2062901994172346481
Second-round center Logan Jones is the latest name added to the injury report, league sources confirm, and the timing couldn’t be worse for a front office that has been quietly bracing for a thin interior line. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (@RapSheet) broke the news early Friday, and those close to the situation say the expectation is that Jones will be sidelined for at least the next few weeks with a lower-body issue that flared up during Thursday’s conditioning work. The team has not yet placed him on injured reserve, but that move is under serious discussion as the medical staff continues to evaluate the severity.
Jones, the 43rd overall pick out of Iowa in April, was expected to compete for the starting center job immediately. His absence now leaves a glaring hole in the middle of an offensive line that was already a concern heading into training camp. The front office has been quietly working the phones for veteran interior help since early May, but league sources indicate no deal is imminent. The preference remains to develop from within, but Jones’ injury accelerates the timeline for a decision. One name that has come up in conversations is former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury, though those close to the situation emphasize nothing is close.
What happens next is the team’s most pressing roster puzzle. The backup plan currently involves sliding last year’s sixth-round guard, Marcus Rainey, to center during team drills. Rainey has taken limited snaps at the position in practice but has never started a game there. Coaches are also cross-training veteran tackle Brian O’Neill at guard to create flexibility, though moving O’Neill inside is not a preferred solution. The front office has until the final cuts in August to make a move, but with Jones likely out for multiple weeks, the pressure to act before the first preseason game is mounting.
The bigger picture here is that a promising rookie campaign for Jones is now in jeopardy before it even starts. For a team that invested a premium pick in him to anchor the line for the next four years, this is a significant setback. How the front office responds—whether by signing a free agent or shuffling the current depth chart—will tell us a lot about their confidence in the roster as constructed. For now, the center position is officially a problem, and the clock is ticking.
