Jets’ fans: there’s hope in Florham Park.
It’s hard to tell if the Jets have any hope now that head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey are operating the team in their respective administrative roles. That’s because owner Woody Johnson has sucked the life out of this franchise with his incompetence and meddling. It’s understandable if Jets fan are cynical about what’s happening.
But here’s the thing: Reading the tea leaves early on with the Jets, it’s clear Glenn has put his fingerprints on building this Jets team. That’s progress!
The Jets made no other moves other than signing Justin Fields as the quarterback. There’s no doubt the situation was by design. Glenn wanted his team built around the draft rather than free agency. He understands that free agency does not serve as a panacea to the team’s woes.
The Jets’ head coach seeks homegrown players to understand what it’s like to play in New York and the responsibility that comes with it. He knows mercenaries likely wouldn’t get New York. He also wanted to build a team with more substance than style. Under Johnson, the Jets have always sought big names to be the talk of the town and the league in the offseason, only to have nothing to show.
Together no more (photo courtesy NY Times)
One of Glenn and Mougey’s first moves was releasing Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They made the move so they could start building a team, and–as long as Rodgers was there–that would have been hard.
Glenn would have no credibility as long as Rodgers was under center. This would be the quarterback’s show in that the quarterback would run the show the way he sees it, rather than follow the head coach’s orders. This meant Rodgers would be throwing the ball rather than having the Jets run the ball. Having Rodgers there would have put the new Jets head coach in a bind when it came to leading the team.
Then, Glenn and Mougey focused on the draft. A few days ago, the Jets’ head coach mentioned building a brand by having players who are tough, violent, physical, resilient, and aggressive. He meant that the team would be built through the trenches, a refreshing concept after years of focusing on flashy players such as wide receivers.
The Jets started by drafting Missouri tackle Armand Membou as their first draft pick. This team can use plenty of good men on the offensive line, which has been a problem for a long time. Not only did the team find a need, but it also fit Glenn’s expectations for his football team.
Happy GM (photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports)
The Jets drafted LSU tight end Mason Taylor as their second-round pick. Again, this is where Glenn’s influence comes in. The Jets’ head coach and Taylor’s father, Jason, played in the NFL as players, so that background and bloodlines sold the team to draft the younger Taylor. He knew the son would pick up his father’s successful attributes, such as toughness and meanness.
Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas was the team’s third-round pick. Glenn and Mougey lauded him for his toughness. (Notice the theme here with the draft picks.) They finished off the draft by drafting Georgia wide receiver Arian Smith (fourth round), Alabama safety Malachi Moore (fourth round), and Miami linebacker Francisco “Kiko” Mauigoa (fifth round).
It did not go unnoticed that the Jets drafted guys who played for successful programs preaching toughness. Again, that was by design.
Mougey did not say much about his draft picks, but his head coach did, and that tells you all you need to know about who has a say here.
It may seem crazy that a rookie head coach is getting what he wants, but it makes sense that the coach has an input on building a team. Glenn has been a winner in this league as a player, so he knows what it takes to make one. Also, he learned about football from his head coach, Bill Parcells, so his input was vital.
I don’t know if it’s going to be successful. But at least the Jets have a head coach who knows what he wants rather than talking a good game, as his predecessors have. Before a team can win, it needs to find its identity. For far too long, the Jets never had one. Now the players have to produce for it to be a brand. This should be this season’s goal, not wins and losses.
Jets fans can finally say there’s hope.
