These are delicate and sensitive times for the Jets. After a tumultuous season marked by a mix of unforeseeable challenges and self-inflicted setbacks, there’s a clear shift in the organization. A new credo is emerging, one that emphasizes the need for change: to get different, you’ve got to do different.
However, after the season ended, I heard a lot of frustration in candid conversations. It became clear that some staff and players were uncertain about their futures, with the organization facing a critical moment to decide whether the lingering toxicity could ever be overcome to bring about success at Florham Park.
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The present state of the Jets
As time passed, someone recently asked me if I needed to assemble my reflections for this article.
My answer was: it’s not about whether I need to write this, focus on the fact that I didn’t rush to do it–particularly since I’ve heard things in the immediate aftermath that are different from some of the vibes I’m sensing now—including a will to defend an emerging resolve.
“Yes we were 5-12, but there were a lot of close games (10 of them were one-score games). Guys could’ve folded after the big loss to Buffalo, but they did show signs of fighting against Miami (in the season finale); I can appreciate that,” one confidant said.
This comment made me recall how after the season some of the staff expressed frustration that interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich didn’t get enough respect and consideration before other candidates were communicated with and interviewed, for their opinions. Nonetheless, people are trying to pick up the pieces and exuding more of a drive to carry on now.
Reasons for optimism
“Look, we have talent, we just have to learn how to finish games. When you watch how the best teams progressed through the playoffs, they didn’t f*ck themselves by constantly shooting themselves in the foot, and we have to stop that sh*t,” they added.
Part of moving forward is being honest about recent history and the future—particularly with and without Aaron Rodgers.
While reports surfaced after the new Jets regime was hired and during Super Bowl week indicating the organization recently leaned away from the return of quarterback Aaron Rodgers–and other details were reported alleging Jets brass conveyed certain stipulations for a reunion involving a TV show–a league source did tell me that there was internal talk regarding desires to move on from Aaron Rodgers at least one week before Aaron Glenn even became head coach and Darren Mougey became general manager of the Jets.
Of course the organization was going to let prospect candidates for the aforementioned roles voice their preferences during the interview period and ultimately give them final say, but the reality is that strong opinions of Rodgers’ fate preexisted the aforementioned hires, and there is no need to feign otherwise.
And that’s ok.
You need sharp discernment to move forward.
Putting Aaron Rodgers in the rearview
This is not about bashing Rodgers. It’s about accurately framing the timeline of events to have clarity on the future.
The fact of the matter is Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer, a Super Bowl champion, a Super Bowl MVP, a 4x NFL MVP, and a 4x First-team player.
While I believe there are times that Rodgers contributed to distractions surrounding the team during his previous tenure—including being in Egypt during mandatory camp last season and going on the Pat McAfee publicly lamenting distractions he hypocritically did not always avoid—it is clear there are members of the Jets who felt Rodgers was also an undeniable asset.
The lesser-known positives of the Aaron Rodgers Jets era
“He was an outstanding teammate. I’ve seen him support the guys in many ways. He might’ve been moody sometimes, but I saw him taking notes every meeting. We’re talking about a Hall of Fame quarterback who knows everything about every offense taking down notes. I know he hand-wrote people Christmas cards and I heard he paid for some food trucks for guys during lunch. So things like that. I’m telling you nobody gave a f**king sh*t that he wasn’t there for mandatory camp. That’s something you media people harp on. We just rolled with Tyrod Taylor,” another source said.
A quarterback missing mandatory camp isn’t something you just brush off. One of the privileges of being one of the few national NFL Insiders in the country is that I report on all 32 teams. Better yet, I get to observe and analyze their strengths and weaknesses.
Having absolute leadership from the quarterback position that sets the standard is inarguable—period point blank. For me, being away during a mandatory period is not that.
Other important traits of champion teams include absolute discipline and a perfect blend of personalities and roles.
Look at the Eagles…
Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni have done a great job of this in Philadelphia. That locker room has O.G. regulators (Brandon Graham), alpha males (A.J. Brown), personable and funny skill players (Darius Slay), calm and Governor-like players (Jalen Hurts), enforcers (Jalen Carter, Josh Sweat), fearless talkers (CJ Gardner-Johnson), and back-line swag and physicality as well (Reed Blankenship).
That locker room holds each other accountable, they self-police before anything reaches Sirianni’s desk and blend different beliefs and cultures well too.
Finding the right mix
Picking talent for a team is not just about what’s on film and a stat sheet; it’s about whether you can pick the right mix of players who are going to fight together in a foxhole? Will they stick together when adversity strikes, or look detached on the sideline thinking about how their personal goals and emotions are being impacted?
Can you find the self-motivated players, who have the drive and the will to prove they’re better than the opposition no matter what the score says with one minute to go?
Evaluators must have the rare discernment to find the Tom Brady’s, the Richard Sherman’s, the “shadow lions” that aren’t so obvious in the early rounds and then quilt the culture of a real team together.
“Look there is no doubt we need mature and focused players, who can show commitment all season long and dogs who are going to give us a motor for four quarters,” one source said.
Yet, I kept hearing it was still very early in the team’s new transition.
Evaluating the current vs future roster
“Right now we are just still trying to evaluate our players, and vets in free agency. Some of us are just about to get into our deep dives on these college players. That process has just begun, but I do agree that is why player interviews are very important, because you have got to get the feel on who these players are right,” another said.
No question starts with the quarterback position.
So what are the Jets going to do?
One thing I have gathered in my various conversations is that Tyrod Taylor has multiple supporters in the building. Not only are there people who hold Taylor in a higher regard than one might think for a player who only played in two games in the green and white last season, but certain individuals in that building are complimentary of his ability to pass and run an offense.
I’m not guaranteeing anything about any player’s status. I’m telling you about some sentiments that do exist in that building.
The all-important QB position
Naturally, assessments of the veteran quarterback market will be part of the team’s due diligence, I also sensed some folks wanting to keep some things close to the vest while attempting to manifest tighter-knit circles in the building.
Regardless, what’s better for the Jets? Talent in the Draft, or Free Agency? How should they weigh prospective college players vs. veteran players–many of which don’t have large sample sizes of recent play?
For example, generally speaking only, Justin Fields has been in the league four years, but he also only started in six games last season as a Steelers quarterback. “Chicago” Fields is a completely different assessment from “Pittsburgh” Fields. Different environments manifest different traits, emotions, and abilities. Environmental and psychological factors impacting Fields were different under Matt Eberflus than under Mike Tomlin. Evaluators always have to ask themselves which traits will carry over, and which won’t, what’s just DNA makeup? Did you have a large enough sample of this new-look version? Will a player thrive or resent having to fight for position again? How does that compare with who you have?
There’s one team source I talk to who thinks Taylor is the more reliable passer when asked about a hypothetical comparison.
As I said, it was only a hypothetical conversation to ask the questions above.
The QB draft situation…
When you look at the top of the Draft, the first three teams need new quarterbacks: the Titans, Browns, and Giants. Will they come via free agency or the Draft? After the Patriots and Jaguars, the Jets have the Raiders in front of them— who also need a quarterback.
My pre-combine assessment is that out of all the teams most willing to listen—it could be Cleveland. I’m not saying the Browns will make a move back, I just think they’ll be the most willing to listen of the clubs as mentioned above. They also have a player in Myles Garrett who will keep trying to force a trade—though general manager Andrew Berry has already said that he will not oblige him.
Nonetheless, I reserve the right to update my thoughts as we prepare for the back-table conversation Olympics next week in Indy; and there will be plenty of new information to share.
But if the Jets have a player they think will turn the franchise around, and they have to go up to get him—Cleveland could potentially be the place to start.
While there is a logical understanding that overall change will take time, realistically, one will always sense the urgency to succeed in New York and around the Jets.
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It starts with the Head Coach
I do think Aaron Glenn has the right no-nonsense attitude and measure of accountability that he will bring to the players and their locker room, but I also feel that ownership and the fanbase have to participate in harvesting this new energy around the facility and also around the city.
That means curtailing anxieties, sensitivities, and overreactions that have consistently perpetuated negative energy around the team. When times get tough, be firm with expectations, but also show more grace and requisite patience.
Glenn has the perfect example to bring from Detroit to emphasize adaption not only takes time but also faith.
So if you all want a new success, come together and adopt the new credo: Do different, to get different.
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