The New York Jets playoff drought continues. Two years ago, the team traded for Aaron Rodgers, and the outlook was never better. After a lost season due to an Achilles injury, many fans were eager to see the four-time MVP quarterback get the team back to the postseason. Instead, the Jets fired their coach and GM midseason. They made desperate trades to try and reinvigorate the offense. Nothing worked. The defense regressed, and players started expressing their displeasure. There are many familiar questions heading into the offseason for the Jets. Here are three important ones the team has to answer.
1. What Do The New York Jets Do At Quarterback?
It’s unlikely Aaron Rodgers will come back. Outside of the reports that Garrett Wilson will demand a trade if Rodger comes back, it seems ideal for both parties to move in different directions. However, not bringing him back doesn’t solve the issue. The New York Jets need a quarterback in a draft that isn’t deep at the quarterback position. Their free-agent options are limited. Kirk Cousins? They already tried the aging quarterback recovering from an Achilles injury. Russell Wilson? Hasn’t impressed with the Steelers. Sam Darnold? There is no way on God’s green earth the former Jets pick would come back. Options are limited.
There is no shame in going all-in for a Super Bowl. The Jets unfortunately put their eggs in the wrong basket, and now they have to pay the price. There are two options that I see as the most likely. One, they sign a veteran to a one-year deal and get what they can out of him. It probably doesn’t lead to a lot of winning, but at least there’s some competency. Two, they draft a quarterback in the later rounds and ride with him for the season. Maybe you find the diamond in the rough, and if not, you haven’t invested high-level resources into him.
2. Can The Defense Return To Form?
The New York Jets have been built on a defensive identity over the past few years. They had a top ten scoring defense the past two seasons. This year, they were 20th. Some of it was a regression from some key players. Sauce Gardner and Quiennen Williams didn’t have as good seasons as they did in the past. While Robert Saleh struggled as a head coach, there was no question about his defensive coaching. Once he was fired, the defense took a huge step back. No matter who they tab to be under center, having a dominant defense would help.
A new coaching staff will hopefully get some of the young players re-engaged. Some new young pieces will add a new dynamic. They have invested heavily in this unit, and it has too much talent to be in the bottom half of the league. The hope is those players will be eager to show last year was an anomaly rather than a sign they were only good because of their head coach.
3. Who Wants To Coach This Team?
It’s going to be a hard sell for the New York Jets. There are plenty of quality jobs in this cycle. What do the Jets have to offer? They don’t have a quarterback. The offensive line is shaky at best. On defense, there will also be some turnover, as some veterans have been very vocal about not wanting to return. Oh, and it’s the Jets who have done nothing but run through coaches over the past two decades. They might have to settle, which is never where you want to be when hiring a coach.
More than likely, they will look for a defensive-minded head coach. This is where their talent lies. An offensive-focused team would likely struggle due to the lack of a quarterback. Wilson and Breece Hall are still quality pieces, but they don’t matter as much behind a poor offensive line. Bringing in a defensive head coach would hopefully reinvigorate that side of the ball. One name to watch would be Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn who is a favorite amongst the players.
Final Thoughts
It’s back to the drawing board for the New York Jets. The Aaron Rodgers experiment didn’t work, and now they have to go through another rebuild. It will be interesting to see how the new GM and coach attack this offseason. Will they go for an aggressive rebuild or try to be patient and build over the next few years?
