FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A take a look at what’s occurring across the New York Jets:
1. Aaron vs. Aaron: After two weeks on the job, coach Aaron Glenn fired a future Corridor of Fame quarterback — not the cushiest technique to break into the brand new gig. Particulars of that Feb. 6 confab with Aaron Rodgers have come to gentle, courtesy of Rodgers, who mentioned on “The Pat McAfee Present” on Thursday that Glenn disrespected him. Their assembly was fast and chilly and have become combative, in keeping with Rodgers.
Sure, there is a new boss and a brand new vibe at One Jets Drive. Hugs and blissful discuss are out; laborious fact and no-nonsense are in.
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“With A.G., he’ll do it a sure method — a method he believes in,” former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington mentioned this week earlier than Rodgers went public. “I believe that is one in all his sturdy factors. That is what made him an amazing DB. He had a sure method of doing issues and he is a real skilled, so it does not shock me that it correlates to him being a coach as properly.”
Pennington was Glenn’s teammate in 2000 and 2001, as have been Shaun Ellis, John Abraham and Anthony Becht — the Jets’ 4 first-round draft picks in 2000. To commemorate the twenty fifth anniversary of the draft — the one time in NFL historical past that crew made 4 first-round decisions in the identical yr — the 4 appeared as visitors on ESPN’s “Flight Deck” podcast.
When Glenn got here up within the dialog, his former teammates described a extremely targeted, serious-minded one who is not afraid to upset the established order.
Glenn has reworked the Jets into “a decent ship,” in keeping with Becht, who added, “He is going to verify they weed out something that should not be round to maintain it very tight inside, in order that solely the gamers and coaches uniformly come collectively for the only objective of turning that group round.”
He did that with Rodgers quite shortly, summoning him to New Jersey for a chat just a few days earlier than the Tremendous Bowl. The four-time MVP flew on his personal jet from California, anticipating an extended dialogue about his future. Glenn minimize to the chase, handing Rodgers a pink slip lower than a minute into the dialog, per the quarterback. It was faster than his ill-fated debut in 2023 that lasted 4 snaps.
Possibly Glenn ought to’ve expressed extra compassion, however he acted decisively and confirmed he is pondering like a head coach, not an ex-player. Former gamers generally fall into the entice of getting too cozy with their gamers; it seems that will not occur with Glenn, although his sometimes prickly persona would possibly chafe some emotions alongside the way in which.
The best way Rodgers defined it, Glenn appeared involved that his presence on the crew would undermine his authority. If true, that might be perceived as an indication of insecurity, however let’s be trustworthy: Glenn would not have been the primary coach to see Rodgers as a distraction.
“He will have the gamers completely different, man,” Abraham mentioned of Glenn. “I simply hope they offer him the time to construct this crew.”
Ellis mentioned of his previous teammate: “My reminiscences of him are coming into the locker room, at all times seeing him smiling and laughing and joking. However when it got here to the assembly rooms, he was on his stuff. He knew precisely what to do. Seeing him [coaching], I am not stunned in any respect.”
2. Newest draft buzz: The favored mock draft selection for the Jets at seventh total is Missouri proper sort out Armand Membou, whose inventory has risen since a formidable mix efficiency. However what if Membou is off the board? There’s an opportunity he might be picked No. 6 by the Las Vegas Raiders.
In that case, the Jets may go for Penn State tight finish Tyler Warren or Texas sort out Kelvin Banks Jr. — a reputation that hasn’t garnered a lot buzz within the prime 10.
Banks (6-foot-5, 315 kilos) received the Lombardi Award (greatest lineman in faculty soccer) and Outland Trophy (greatest inside lineman) in 2024. His background at left sort out (three-year starter) offers extra worth than Membou, in keeping with some NFL evaluators.
Clearly, the Jets would haven’t any qualms about shifting Banks (or Olu Fashanu) to proper sort out in the event that they go on this route. Banks is usually thought to be a mid- to late first-round prospect; possibly they might get him in a trade-down.
Warren is intriguing due to his manufacturing (104 receptions for 1,233 yards in 2024) and flexibility, to not point out the Jets’ crying want at tight finish. They covet a No. 2 choice within the passing sport to scale back the stress on vast receiver Garrett Wilson.
3. Hometown connection: Selecting Banks would hit near dwelling for Glenn — actually.
Banks grew up in Humble, Texas, the identical hometown because the coach. They attended completely different excessive colleges, although. Banks’ father, Kelvin Sr., additionally was raised in the identical space. He, too, went to a distinct highschool than Glenn. Kelvin Sr. was an offensive lineman who started his faculty profession on the Houston.
4. A 320-pound query mark: Talking of proper tackles, Chukwuma Okorafor was an intriguing addition in free company. He has 60 profession begins, together with 59 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he arrived with a purple flag due to what went down final season with the New England Patriots.
He opened the season as their beginning left sort out, however he allowed three quarterback pressures to Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson and obtained benched after 12 snaps. Abruptly, Okorafor left the crew and by no means performed once more for the Patriots, who minimize him this offseason.
In 2023, Okorafor ranked twelfth out of 40 proper tackles in stress proportion, per Subsequent Gen Stats — however carries the stigma of getting walked away from a crew. Glenn mentioned they did “a very good quantity of investigation” into the scenario and got here away glad after talking immediately with Okorafor.
“I believe he is a very good participant,” Glenn mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to construct this O-line to be dynamic, and we really feel like he might be a chunk of that puzzle.”
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5. Heeere’s Darren: Normal supervisor Darren Mougey steps into the highlight this week. He has no drafting historical past as a result of it is his first time within the huge chair, so it is laborious to foretell what would possibly occur.
Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, a former faculty teammate at San Diego State, praised Mougey’s personnel acumen.
“He is any individual I at all times actually, actually valued — his opinion on gamers, placing collectively a crew, scheme, all that stuff,” O’Connell instructed ESPN on the current annual league conferences. “I believe he’ll do an exceptional job in that position.”
6. Do you know? The Jets have made 625 participant picks within the common-draft period (since 1967), and never as soon as have they picked a participant at No. 7 total. That ends Thursday, barring a commerce.
By the way in which, the Jets are open to buying and selling again, per league sources.
7. Extra beef needed: The Jets hosted no fewer than 4 defensive tackles for visits — Mason Graham (Michigan), Derrick Harmon (Oregon), Darius Alexander (Toledo) and Omarr Norman-Lott (Tennessee). Regardless of signing three low-cost free brokers, they’re nonetheless trying to improve. They want extra measurement within the center.
8. A curious comp: Up to now 5 seasons, just one participant within the league — Jets linebacker Neville Hewitt — performed greater than 50% of his crew’s snaps (offense and protection mixed). He performed 51% in 2020 on a Jets crew that had the second-most defensive snaps. Why are we bringing this up?
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There’s a variety of speak about Travis Hunter enjoying each methods within the NFL, as he did at Colorado, the place he performed 86% of his crew’s snaps final season. The Hewitt reference offers some context to what Hunter hopes to perform.
Wager you did not anticipate to see Hunter and Hewitt in the identical sentence.
9. A well-known farewell: Tyron Smith, who retired Wednesday in a information convention on the Dallas Cowboys, failed to say the Jets in his retirement speech. Granted, final season was his just one in New York, however the Jets did pay him $9.25 million when no different crew was banging down his door. Smith joins an extended listing of fading greats who performed out the string with the Jets, a bunch that features Rodgers, Ed Reed and Artwork Monk.
10. Busy week: Beginning Monday, the Jets will maintain a minicamp. Groups with new coaches are allowed to have a minicamp earlier than the draft. This one is voluntary, which implies a participant may skip it to take a trip in, say, Egypt, and never be fined.
