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          New York Jets

          Positional analysis: Center/Guard

          • Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterFeb 15, 2011, 09:50 AM ET
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              Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
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          This is the sixth part in our daily positional breakdown of the Jets' roster. Tomorrow: Wide receivers.

          Focus: Center/guard

          Depth chart: Nick Mangold (C), Brandon Moore (G), Matt Slauson (G), Rob Turner (C/G), Marlon Davis (G), Robby Felix (C/G), Dennis Landolt (G).

          Expiring contracts: Turner.

          Rear-view mirror: The interior line -- Mangold, Moore and Slauson -- was dependable and rugged. They didn't miss any starts and, because of them, the Jets were No. 2 in the league in rushing first downs up the middle, according to ESPN Stats and Information. Mangold was named All-Pro for the second straight year, deservedly so. Playing with a bum shoulder, he allowed only one sack, according to Stats, LLC, and committed three penalties for 25 yards.

          Moore should've made his first Pro Bowl. He surrendered only one sack and was flagged just three times for 20 yards. What more can a guard do? Slauson, a first-year starter, suffered a severe case of growing pains early in the season. He was a liability in pass protection and struggled at times as a pulling blocker, but he settled down around midseason. He allowed a team-high 5.5 sacks and committed seven penalties (the most on offense) for 56 yards. Turner showed his versatility, making his biggest contribution as an extra tight end in running formations.

          Numbers game: The Jets averaged 4.5 yards per rush behind center/guard, sixth-best in the league, according to FootballOutsiders.com.

          Crystal ball: The Jets wisely signed Mangold to a six-year extension before the season. You can't have a dominant offensive line without an elite center, and the Jets do. Moore is signed through 2012, and probably deserves a raise. Slauson is limited athletically, but he has the kind of nasty attitude that suits the ground-and-pound philosophy. He'll go to camp as the starting left guard, although Turner might have something to say about that -- assuming Turner returns.

          Hot Seat: Slauson. He came out of nowhere and did an admirable job, but the onus is on him to improve his pass-protection skills.

          Positional rating (scale of 1 to 10): 9.0