When Jon Halapio joined the New York Giants' practice squad in 2016 [url=http://www.seahawkscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-byron-maxwell-jersey]Authentic Byron Maxwell Jersey[/url] , Brett Jones was one of the first guys to welcome him.

Jones had joined the Giants the previous year as a center in trying to make the jump from the CFL to the NFL, and he appreciated when some new teammates made him feel welcome.

Why not do the same for Halapio? The two 27-year-old offensive linemen became real good friends and helped each other become better players.

Halapio, a guard at Florida, taught Jones some trade secrets at the spot and Jones taught his buddy how to snap and play center.

A little less than two years later, Jones is fighting to keep the starting center job he manned the final 12 games of last season. And it's Halapio, who is the main competition.

Not only is he the competition, Halapio has been getting most of the first-team snaps in the lineup being put on the field by new coach Pat Shurmur.

Jones isn't worried. It's early in training camp and nothing is set. He also has no regrets about teaching the guy who might take his job.

"It's always been like that in my life," Jones said Monday. "If anybody ever gave me an opportunity I wanted to repay it to them. So that was my thing. Jon was on the practice squad and I was the backup center and if Jon was going to play I wanted to help him out and do what I could. That's what a good teammate does."

Learning to snap was part of the mentoring.

"He had asked me and I sort of gave him the basic training for it," said Jones, who was the CFL's most outstanding lineman in 2014 and missed his first season in the NFL the following year because of a training camp injury. "After practice we would stay and practice snapping. It sort of went from there."

Halapio took the long road to the NFL. He was drafted in the sixth round by New England in 2014. He was on the Broncos' practice squad that season and went to the Cardinals and Patriots training camps in 2015 and '16, respectively, getting cut each time.

The Giants signed him to the practice squad for most of 2016. He was cut in training camp the following season and re-signed to the practice squad. Injuries got him on the active roster in October and he played in 10 games with six starts at guard.

The move to center came this year.

"Everything was new so I had to learn a lot [url=http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-nathan-shepherd-jersey]Jets Nathan Shepherd Jersey[/url] , not only the schemes, but the different techniques and calls," Halapio said. "I had to learn a lot."

The biggest differences are blocking from a balanced stance, having to make line calls and read coverages and sometimes making the shotgun snaps.

"The more you do it, the better you get," Halapio said. "In the offseason I snapped a bunch, and even now I keep snapping after practice so it's second nature."

Halapio admits fighting Jones for a job felt odd at first.

"It's just pure competition now," Halapio said. "Like coach says all the time, don't read into who's taking the first-team reps. Everyone is being evaluated. As far as me and Brett goes, we're friends. We help each other out in the film room, on the field, outside of football. Nothing is awkward between us. Yeah [url=http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/tre_davious-white-jersey]Tre'Davious White Bills Jersey[/url] , it's just pure competition between us and everybody in the room."

The Giants have revamped their offensive line after last year's disastrous 3-13 season. Guard Justin Pugh and center Weston Richburg signed elsewhere as free agents. Guard John Jerry is now a backup fighting for a roster spot.

Patriots free agent Nate Solder was signed to take over at left tackle and 2015 first-rounder Ereck Flowers was moved to right tackle. Second-round draft pick Will Hernandez is the left guard and free agent Patrick Omameh is the right guard.

The center spot is uncertain.

A former center, Shurmur says he is watching the position closely. He wants his centers to be good communicators.

Halapio might be a little stronger than Jones, who probably understands the job better and had 30 NFL games under his belt at guard and center.

It should be an interesting decision for Shurmur.

Taylor Lewan has waited and planned for the day when the Tennessee Titans would reward him with a new multimillion-dollar contract.

So the quirky and gifted left tackle was ready when the Titans signed him Friday to a five-year, $80 million contract, making Lewan the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman.

Lewan came out to meet reporters flanked by his offensive line teammates to the theme song from ”The Dukes of Hazzard,” wearing an all-white suit topped off by a white cowboy hat, with a cigar in his mouth. Center Ben Jones even brought along Lewan’s stuffed beaver, Steve, a locker room decoration.

”I actually got the suit done like just a couple of days before camp and literally had no idea if I was going to sign or not, but might as well be prepared,” Lewan said.

Why come out as Boss Hogg?

”We did a whole deal as a joke, but in all seriousness this is unbelievable [url=http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/mitchell-trubisky-jersey]Authentic Mitchell Trubisky Jersey[/url] ,” Lewan said of his teammates. ”You’re not going to find a better O-Line room, that’s for sure.”

The Titans did not disclose specific terms, but multiple reports said Lewan will receive $50 million guaranteed. That tops the four-year, $62 million deal Nate Solder got from the New York Giants in March. The team wrapped up negotiations before its second practice of training camp after talks progressed quickly enough that Lewan reported on time Wednesday .

The Pro Bowler skipped the mandatory minicamp in June because of stalled talks. Now he’ll be averaging $16 million a year under the new deal with a team looking for a second straight playoff berth.

”I’m extremely happy to be part of this team for a few more years, and I think it’s going to be a special few years for all of us,” Lewan said.

Coach Mike Vrabel thanked general manager Jon Robinson and his staff for wrapping up Lewan’s deal. The first-time head coach didn’t have any issue with Lewan’s colorful celebration.

”My job is make sure that they work on the field, and part of this process is having fun,” Vrabel said. ”Part of becoming a team is having fun and working hard together and having fun together.”

Lewan, who turned 27 last weekend, was the 11th overall selection out of Michigan in 2014. The 6-foot-7, 309-pounder had been due $9.34 million this season under the fifth-year option the Titans picked up last year. He has started 53 of 58 games, including every game the past two seasons [url=http://www.baltimoreravensteamauthentic.com/robert-griffin-iii-jersey]Wholesale Robert Griffin III Jersey[/url] , protecting quarterback Marcus Mariota’s blind side.

Lewan’s new deal keeps the Tennessee starting offensive line intact for Vrabel. The only remaining issue on the line concerns right tackle Jack Conklin, who is recovering from a torn ligament in his left knee that he suffered during the divisional playoff loss in New England.

With Lewan as ringleader, the Titans’ offensive linemen have been protecting Mariota on the field and having fun off the field. Their best highlights have come at playoff games for the NHL’s Nashville Predators with the linemen waving catfish and drinking beer before the puck dropped. Lewan even chugged a beer using a catfish last spring.

The beaver, with its own fedora, was a gifted to Lewan from his now-wife. The beaver pops up in different places around the locker room.

”This city’s been awesome,” Lewan said. ”I think with some of my antics and some of the stuff the O-line does, I don’t think we’d be welcome very much on other teams. I think Nashville’s taken us in just fine.”

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