McFADDEN: I’ve been seriously considering receiver Jesse Matthews for the position, as he had a couple of good practices before the second preseason game and I think he still has a chance to earn a role at the position. However, it’s high time we gave the trench warriors on the offensive side of the ball some love, so my pick is Jovaughn Gwyn.
When I watched Atlanta’s first preseason game live, I got the impression that Gwyn was struggling quite a bit. However, upon second viewing, my opinion changed. He played 45 snaps at center – 63% of the team’s offensive output – and looked really reliable in pass defense. However, not everything went perfectly for Gwyn. Two balls hit the turf during the quarterback-center battle and the run blocking was not clean (for anyone, really).
That makes him the perfect fit for this list. Unless Ryan Neuzil gets his first tryout, Gwyn will likely play a big role again and have a chance to show improvement in the areas he needs to progress. I expect Atlanta’s running game to improve from the first game, but a lot of it will start up front and that’s one of the reasons I’m keeping a close eye on the offensive line.
Gwyn is versatile on the interior and has played both guard and center in practice. To earn a spot on the 53-man roster, the second-year pro will likely have to beat out guard Kyle Hinton. Hinton didn’t have a great performance against the Dolphins, so the door might be a little more open for Gwyn to move.
