An Aaron Glenn Mirror? Grading the Rest of the Jets Draft Class

 

Photo Credit: Jasper Owens/Hoosier Huddle.

D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana

The Jets addressed another serious need at cornerback in the second round with the selection of D'Angelo Ponds. He's another one, like Omar Cooper's game winning catch against Penn State, when I saw his highlights, I remembered seeing those particular plays, but didn't realize it was him at the time.

Listening to Louis Riddick's analysis and evaluation of him, he's sounds a lot like...Aaron Glenn. I'm not the only one who has made this observation. He can play any coverage, despite being undersized, plays bigger than he really is. That was Aaron Glenn when he played. It makes me wonder if Aaron saw himself in D'Angelo when he and Darren Mougey evaluated him.

Grade: A+

Photo Credit: Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images.


Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State

With their first fourth round pick, they selected defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. They addressed defensive lineman depth with this pick. I see the potential; he looks like a run stopping 5 technique type of player, he just needs more polish and consistency.

Darrell brings youth to a defensive line group that's loaded with veterans who can show him the ropes. I like this pick; I thought it was a good move in terms of need.

Grade: B+

Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images.

Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson

With their second fourth round pick, they selected Cade Klubnik. They needed a young quarterback, and the potential is there, being that he was considered a Heisman candidate heading into last season, but he regressed. There are some things to like about his game, and I think Frank Reich's offense suits his style of rhythmic, timing passing, and he lights up teams when given time.

The problem is he's not quite the same quarterback when under pressure. From what I saw, and reading scouting reports, he reminds me a little of Derek Carr, except Carr is more a gunslinger than an accurate, timing passer like Klubnik, and while Carr had some mobility, he wasn't a dual-threat like Klubnik. I thought this was the most questionable of Mougey's picks. While there is something there, I don't think he was worth giving up the third fourth round pick for. 

Grade: C

Photo Credit: on3.com.


Anez Cooper, G, Miami

As part of the package deal that was sent to the Cincinnati Bengals, swapping fourth round picks, giving up the aforementioned third fourth round pick, they received a sixth round pick that was used to draft Anez Cooper.

A mammoth of an offensive lineman (he's listed at 6-6, 334) he addresses offensive line depth that was needed. I think he needs to polish his overall technique, but once he gets his hands on you, it's over. I like the pick, but I think they could've addressed this with the third fourth round pick.

Grade: B+

Photo Credit: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

VJ Payne, Safety, Kansas State

Their final pick of their draft was VJ Payne. This is an interesting one. I'm intrigued by his speed and versatility in coverage. From my understanding, although he's a willing tackler, his physicality as a tackler could be better.

Seeing the struggles the Jets had in coverage last season, I look at this as possibly a steal. He brings something to the table to the defensive backfield that's seriously lacking. If his skill set can quickly translate to the next level, I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the final roster in September, and possibly become a starter.

Grade: A

Overall, I think it was a very good draft for the Jets. I loved the moves that were made on Day One and Day Two. Day Three was so-so, but I don't think it takes away from Darren Mougey's moves on the first two days. To draft two of the Top 10 prospects--well, I viewed Sadiq as Top 10 prospect--and be able to trade back into the first round without giving up a first round pick was impressive.

Personally, I would've kept those three fourth round picks, and traded away the two seventh rounds picks--which he did trade one of them--but what's done is done. I know it's all on paper right now, everything has to materialize on the field, but the possibilities have me looking forward to this season and beyond.

Overall Grade: A

Triple Threat: The Jets Draft David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, and Omar Cooper Jr.

 

David Bailey. Photo Credit: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images.

With the second overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft, the New York Jets selected edge rusher David Bailey from Texas Tech, and they weren't done. They entered Thursday night with two first round picks (the 2nd and 16th overall), and finished with a third first pick, acquiring the 30th overall pick from the San Francisco 49ers for a second and fifth round pick.

There was an ongoing debate throughout the pre-draft process over who was the better pass rusher and who the Jets would pick between David Bailey and Arvell Reese, who was eventually picked 5th overall by the New York Giants. There was, in my opinion, much ado about nothing as far as where the Jets were going with the pick when they cancelled their meeting Bailey recently. All of the questions and speculations have now been answered--well, as far as who's better between Bailey and Reese won't be determined until a few years from now.

With the selection of Bailey, the Jets get a much needed pass rusher, someone who can dominate and wreak havoc off the edge in the 3-4. From what I saw, I liked the effortless way he rushes the passer. I liked his pursuit against the run, and he didn't quit on plays. The only thing I would like to see more of is his ability to cover, which is something he will have to do from time to time in the 3-4.

Grade: A+

Photo Credit: Lindsey Wasson/AP Photos.

Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

With the 16th pick, the Jets selected tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who was considered by far the best tight end in the draft, and I agree. He's a tight end with the speed of a wide receiver; his rare combination of size and speed is going to be a problem at the next level.

I'm sure some might take issue with this pick because they already have Mason Taylor, but I'm loving the idea of the two of them as a tight end duo. They're going to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. If Kenyon continues to develop and take his skills to the next level, I can easily see them starting both guys.

The main thing I think he needs to work on is being more consistent as a blocker, and, just I said about Mason Taylor last year--except with Mason, I said he needs to be more physical as a blocker--that's an easy fix, it's just a matter of effort.

I said the same thing about him that I said about Brock Bowers a couple of years ago: if he goes to a team that knows how to use him, he's capable of eventually becoming an elite tight end like Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce, Shannon Sharpe, etc. I think he's capable of becoming that type of talent.

Grade: A

 Credit: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images.


Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

When I thought they were done for the night, they traded back into the first round to get wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Considered an underrated prospect, he was one of Fernando Mendoza's many weapons, and was an integral part of the Hoosiers' success last season. 

While can play on the outside, most of his work was done in the slot. On a side note, it's funny how sometimes you can see a play, and not realize certain details about it until after the fact. For example, I remember watching the play where Mendoza threw the game winning touchdown pass against Penn State that Saturday afternoon late last year, but I didn't realize it was Cooper who caught the pass until they showed the play again last night after he was drafted.

This is another area where they seriously need help on the side of Garrett Wilson. Adoni Mitchell showed flashes last season, but they needed more depth at that position.

Grade: A+

Getting Defensive: A Look at the Jets Day One Acquisitions

 

Minkah Fitzpatrick. Photo Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty Images.

The New York Jets were busy on the first day of the “legal tampering” period, aggressively addressing the defense. Well, actually, it started with the trade for T’Vondre Sweat last week, but I already covered that.

The first acquisition I saw was the trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins. To get a player of his caliber for only a seventh round pick is a steal, as far as I’m concerned. His Pro Bowl caliber play and veteran leadership will be huge in the locker room.

The next one was  DE/OLB Joseph Ossai from the Cinncinatti Bengals. He was mainly a rotational/situational pass rusher, but from what I saw, he showed signs of being a terror getting after quarterbacks and the Jets going to a 3-4 this year is perfect for his explosiveness off the edge.

The biggest one so far, and one I wasn’t expecting, was bringing back linebacker Demario Davis. The Catch-22 here is if I wanted to be nit picky, my only problem with this is that he’s entering his 15th year, however, aside from his play--and he can still move from sideline to sideline--his experience, leadership, and mentorship is much needed, in my opinion.

Two players they signed I’ve heard of by name this past season, but haven’t seen much of are DE/OLB Kingsley Enagbare from the Packers and safety Dane Belton from the Giants. I’ve seen reports that Enagbare was a sneaky good pick up, and viewed Belton as a standout special teams player who posted career numbers almost across the board last season.

As I mentioned in the last post, between free agency and the upcoming draft, I knew Darren Mougey wasn’t done addressing the holes on the defense, and he went all defense on Day One of the “legal tampering”. Two players I would’ve liked him to pursue was Jaelan Phillips and Jaquan Brisker, but Phillips signed with the Panthers, and with acquisitions of Fitzpatrick and Belton, I don’t see him going after Brisker.

That wraps up Day One; I’m looking forward to see what they do on Day Two, particularly regarding their situation--or should I say problem?--at quarterback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Reich Man for the Job?

 

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The Jets’ search for an offensive coordinator is over. Today, they hired Frank Reich to run the offense. I’ll admit, he wasn’t who I had in mind, but he will work. I was hoping they would hire Kliff Kingsbury, if either party was interested in an interview, but as I said in my last post, I liked Reich the most of all the candidates they interviewed.

In a way, I can see why Aaron Glenn hired him. He has the same old-school mentality as Glenn, but offensively, he has a little of the modern game mixed with the old. From my memory of his offenses with the Philadelphia Eagles, then-San Diego Chargers, and as a head coach with the Indianapolis Colts, they were usually pretty good. I remember them being a balance of pass and run. Mostly importantly, his offenses were smart but aggressive, which is what I prefer.

His most notable work was as an offensive coordinator in Philadelphia in 2016, after Carson Wentz, who was having a standout season, went down with a season ending injury, and he successfully adjusted the offense to suit (Wentz’s backup) Nick Foles’ skill set. They went on to win the Super Bowl that year in a memorable shootout with the Patriots, which Foles won Super Bowl MVP.

Then there’s the talent that he has to work with. Right now, one of the few bright spots is tackle Armand Membou, who made the All-Rookie Team, tight end Mason Taylor, and receiver Adoni Mitchell showed some promise after being traded to the Jets later in the season. The main feature would be running back Breece Hall, if they bring him back, although I have a feeling he won't be.

 All-in-all, I’m good with this hire. I think Frank is a good coordinator with a proven track record, it’s just a matter of bringing in the talent to make everything work.

 

 

Kliffhanger: My Campaign for Kliff Kingsbury as the Jets Next Offensive Coordinator

Photo Credit: Chris Szagola/AP Photo.

Before I begin, I want to give a quick take on the Jets hiring their new defensive coordinator, Brian Duker, who was the Miami Dolphins’ pass game coordinator/secondary coach last season.

 I’m of the opinion that just because you don’t know someone, doesn’t mean they’re not any good; however, I thought there were more qualified candidates that they interviewed, such as Wink Martindale, Jim Leonhard, as a matter of fact, Sean McDermott is still out there--unless he decides to take some time off.

Nevertheless, this is who Aaron Glenn chose, and, in fact, he is familiar with him. Duker worked with Glenn when they were on the Detroit Lions staff from 2021-23, so perhaps he knows something we don’t or perhaps there’s at least some truth to the rumors that no one wants to work with Glenn, so he settled for Duker. Who knows? Anyway, from my understanding, Glenn is going to call the defensive plays, so it looks like Duker is more of a decoy or an apprentice at best. Now, on to the topic at hand.

They’re now searching for a new offensive coordinator after recently firing Tanner Engstram. They have completed five interviews, so far, and of the list of candidates, I saw two no-nos, one I’m vaguely familiar with, one I never heard of, and one I wouldn’t mind if they’re not able to get the one I would like them to hire, more on that in a little bit.

While Darrell Bevell and Greg Roman has had some success in the NFL, their offenses are too conservative, which is why I think the latter in particular was removed in Baltimore and most recently Los Angeles (Chargers).  I’m not a fan of  a conservative defense, but I despise a conservative offense.

I remember Ronald Curry mainly when he was a receivers coach for the Saints, and I’m not familiar with Lunda Wells at all. Frank Reich isn’t who I have in mind, but I wouldn’t mind him if they’re not able to get or if they’re not interested in hiring the guy I recommend: Kliff Kingsbury.

A disciple of the Air Raid Offense, Kingsbury will bring the life and energy that has been needed in the Jets offense for years. Along with a fast-paced passing game is a blend of the running game.

He would also be a perfect fit if the Jets were to trade for Kyler Murray. He coached Kyler in Arizona in the 2019-23, and Murray has had the most success with Kingsbury, in my opinion. As a quick side note, the last time the Cardinals made the playoffs was with Kingsbury as head coach.

He was instrumental in developing Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who set the rookie record for most rushing yards by a rookie QB, won Offensive Rookie of the Year, was a Pro Bowler, and was one game away from the Super Bowl that season.

With the right players in place between free agency and the draft, bringing Kingsbury on board to run the offense would be one of, if not the best move for Aaron Glenn's staff.

Year In Review: Should the Jets Keep Aaron Glenn?

 

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“Jesus Christ in a Cardigan sweater.”

-Alison Peters, Tales from the Crypt (episode, Seance)

The season is over; well, to me, the season was over since Week 5. As far as I’m concerned, the season couldn’t have ended fast enough. They finished the season 3-14, and after yet another forgettable season, the question has arised from spectators whether or not the New York Jets should keep head coach Aaron Glenn.

Well, I understand the frustrations of fans, especially seeing that the team seemingly gave absolutely no effort towards the end of the season, getting blown out in the last five games, and throughout most of the season. They made NFL history by becoming the first team to go an entire season without intercepting a pass. So yes, I definitely understand why some fans want him out of there. 

What baffles me is why he fired (defensive coordinator) Steve Wilks, but kept (offensive coordinator) Tanner Engstram, when the offense was just as bad as the defense, in some cases, worse. Most of the time, the offense was constantly putting the defense on the field--well, there were times when the offense got going and the defense was slacking, but it was usually the former. The only bright spot was the running game. Breece Hall went over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.

So far, I don't see what he sees. The only thing I can think of is he (Glenn) brought Engstram with him from the Detroit Lions staff. Perhaps that’s why he seems to be getting a longer leach, so to speak. I’m not the conspiracy theory type, but there are some things that make you go hmmm… 

The Justin Fields experiment was a disaster. I tried to give him a chance; I saw flashes from his previous teams with Chicago and Pittsburgh, but he answered the question I asked before the season started, and the answer was an emphatic hell no! While he wasn't the only one with the abysmal quarterback play, he was designated as the starter heading into the season.

Now, as far as whether or not I think they should keep Aaron Glenn, I gave the other two jokers (Adam Gase and Robert Saleh) a chance, and I think it’s only fair that I give him a chance. Personally, I want to see him succeed. I was fan of his when he was a player, and till this day I think he’s one of the most underrated defensive backs to ever step on the field, but that was as a player. Being a player and a head coach are two totally different things.

You know, I get tired of writing these types of posts. I would love to write something speaking well of the team, speaking of them in the same light as the other (consistent) contenders of the league. In other words, those who are competing in the playoffs, particularly championships, nearly every season. Hopefully, that will start next season.

Holy Mougey! Analyzing the Jets Trades

 

Jets GM Darren Mougey (left) with Head Coach Aaron Glenn. Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post.

The New York Jets new regime led by GM Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn have been busy wheeling and dealing this season. They were more aggressive during the season than they were in the offseason. The one trend I've noticed is they, for the most part, make moves based on potential versus established talent.

Take their free agency, for example. Justin Fields, Brandon Stephens,  and Andre Cisco are all guys who are known to have untapped potential. They have shown flashes, but it hasn't fully materialized. This is definitely the case with Justin Fields, but I digress.

They traded for two defensive tackles (Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs) in one day in August; then traded for cornerback Jarvis Brownlee in September. These three were traded for draft picks. They traded Michael Carter II for wide receiver John Metchie III last week, and shook up the roster and the NFL world, trading defensive All-Pro and Pro Bowlers Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for first-round picks, a second-round pick, Adoni Mitchell, and Mazi Smith this afternoon.

Harrison, from what I've seen of him at Minnesota is good in run support; I don't know much about Briggs. From my understanding, Brownlee is another player who has untapped potential. He has shown flashes, particularly against the run, but hasn't put it all together yet. Metchie and Mitchell are also guys who have shown flashes when given an opportunity, but had too many receivers in front of them.

The Sauce Gardner trade surprised me for a split second, so to speak, but I like getting the two first-round picks in return. Although they did get a first-round pick in return initially, the Quinnen Williams trade bothered me a little at first because I've been saying all along that they needed help along the defensive interior line, and they traded their best defensive (interior) lineman. I found out later that Mazi Smith, who's a massive defensive tackle (he's listed at 6-3, 337 lbs.) and a first-round pick in 2023, was also involved in the trade.

The funny part is I've been saying that they needed someone Smith's size in particular to go along with Williams on the defensive line, and they finally acquire someone who fits the bill, but they traded Williams to get him. I heard things didn't work out with Smith in Dallas, and I'm hoping a change of scenery will help him realize his potential.

Someone commented that Mougey and Glenn are "channeling their inner Michael Corelone." If you're not familiar with the movie, The Godfather, that's going to go over your head. I hope they can achieve the same success as Michael. Granted, he ran a dirty business, but he did get results, nonetheless, and he was calculating and crafty with they way he conducted business. 

Now, I don't want them to do things in the same manner in which he did it, I'm just sticking with the analogy that was used. Obviously, the Jets are building for the future, and with a lot of draft capital moving forward, they have a lot to build on. We'll see how this turns out.