There will be plenty of big-name defensive coordinators looking for jobs this offseason. Hey, just poll the New York Jets fanbase for the names buzzing around.
There’s just one problem in thinking big at the Jets’ defensive coordinator post: It won’t automatically fix the team’s defensive woes.
Gang Green’s defense has taken a massive step back in 2025. With the arrival of Aaron Glenn and Steve Wilks, the defense has been among the worst in the league in yards and points allowed, as well as the number of rushing and passing touchdowns given up.
Things have been so bad for the Jets’ defense that they relieved Wilks (a veteran play-caller) of duties before the regular season concluded.
Wilks’ firing is a reminder that veteran coaches won’t fix what is really wrong with the Jets. It’s a two-pronged problem that only the perfect coach for the role will be able to resolve.
The Jets’ most concerning defensive issue
New York’s most significant defense issue is hubris; no other problem comes close.
All three levels of the Jets’ defense haven’t been good enough because the players aren’t good enough in 2025. Young standouts like linebacker Jamien Sherwood and edge rusher Will McDonald have not improved as much as the coaching staff had initially envisioned.
While player accountability is essential, player development is the crux of a coaching staff’s job in the NFL. Glenn and Wilks walked into the facility, preaching that players would need to fit in their scheme and that they would be put in the best position to succeed.
As a result, players were often out of position all season, overwhelmed by the schematic challenges, and had few answers for adjustments. This wasn’t a player problem; it was coaching malpractice.
Believing that instantaneously changes if a proven veteran walks in the door is akin to thinking spinach immediately makes a human stronger.
Why is the solo-side CB in hard/press here on third-and-13? It’s not smart because it puts your team at the mercy of the officials. THIS is the stuff that’s been on tape all year, as it feels like the staff’s VISION for what they want the team to be usurps the tried-and-tested… pic.twitter.com/gkdfsxjOqw
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) December 15, 2025
How can it be fixed
The Jets need a defensive coordinator and playcaller who is comfortable adapting to different systems. A coach who can improve the talent around him and put a quality product on the field because of that, even if talent is lacking.
Many veteran coaches around the league have done things a certain way for years. They’re rarely interested in changing what has worked for them throughout their many seasons.
New York needs a defensive coordinator who can not only scheme up players to succeed, but also understand what they actually have as a unit. Coaches like Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, and Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon are accustomed to coaching in a particular manner.
That isn’t what the Jets need.
The correct DC type
Other coaches, such as Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach Christian Parker, and Denver Broncos assistant head coach Jim Leonhard, are examples of leaders who mold young talent into a unit that best suits their needs.
Flores is an obvious choice, yet there’s no guarantee he leaves Minnesota.
Parker and Leonhard, on the other hand, have experience matching the scheme with development. It’s the only way to win in the modern NFL on that side of the ball.
While Jets fans may clamor for a more experienced hand leading their defense, that isn’t what the team needs. Experience can lead to hubris over time.
What Gang Green really needs is a coordinator who will say, “We have talent in certain areas, so let’s improve it and find a scheme that will enhance what we already have.”
While the New York Jets roster is hardly loaded on the defensive side of the ball, half of the unit’s starters are still playing. The realization that the majority of those starters have regressed this season is the first assessment that needs to sink in.
Only then will Aaron Glenn find the right defensive coordinator for his squad.