Ben Jones would make sense at center for the Arizona Cardinals

The longtime National Football League veteran would be an outstanding anchor for the offensive line of the Arizona Cardinals.

One area of the roster that will need the immediate attention of the Arizona Cardinals this offseason is the center position. Don't look now, but a candidate for the job that general manager Monti Ossenfort is extremely familiar with has just hit the free-agent market.

Ben Jones, a longtime starter for the Tennessee Titans, has just been released. Ossenfort is well-acquainted with the veteran center from the three years (2020-22) he spent as Tennessee's Director of player personnel. Could Jones be headed to the desert to be the new anchor of the Cardinals offensive line?

At this point, Jones reuniting with Ossenfort as a free-agent addition to the Cards scoring attack would make a whole lot of sense. Word has it that the club will be moving on from starting center Rodney Hudson any day now. The 33-year-old appears to be headed toward retirement, so Arizona's front office will likely part ways with Hudson before a $1 million roster bonus kicks in for him on March 21st.

Billy Price, a lineman who was acquired off of the scrap heap last October, started 11 games at center for the Redbirds in 2022. The 28-year-old free agent-to-be performed admirably, but the Cardinals could do much better. And that's where Jones comes in.

The vast experience of Ben Jones could greatly benefit the Arizona Cardinals offensive line

Back in 2012, the 6 foot 3, 308 pound Jones was drafted in the fourth round by the Houston Texans. The 99th-overall selection logged 43 starts, and made 64 appearances for the Texans. Jones remained in Houston for four campaigns, starting all 32 matchups during his last two years with the team.

In March of 2016, Jones left the Texans to ink a four-year contract with the Titans. Incredibly, the former University of Georgia product registered 108 starts during what turned out to be a seven-year stint with Tennessee.

Arizona would likely offer Jones a two or three-year deal, with the hopes of grooming a young center behind him. The Alabama native could have several suitors, so Ossenfort may have to come up with a fantastic sales pitch to convince Jones to sign with the Cards. It would undoubtedly be an outstanding acquisition for the franchise if the new GM can make it happen.

(Information provided by Pro Football Reference)