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New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A former New York Jets assistant has received a massive promotion.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler posted on social media that the Cleveland Browns are hiring Mike Rutenberg as the defensive coordinator.
The Browns are hiring Mike Rutenberg as defensive coordinator, per source.
Rutenberg, 44, spent four seasons as the Jets’ linebackers coach from 2021 through 2024. With him in Cleveland, that opens up some potential trade conversations with the Jets.
A Potential Reunion Could Make a Lot of Sense
Rutenberg had a lot of success helping develop several key linebackers on the Jets. One of his best success stories was the evolution of Jamien Sherwood.
Sherwood, 26, entered the league as the No. 146 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft. He played safety in college at Auburn, but the Jets immediately converted him to linebacker at the pro level.
It took Sherwood a long time to find his footing at the NFL level. He worked his way from a backup to a special teamer and overcame a blown Achilles.
During the 2024 season, Sherwood was forced to step up to the plate after C.J. Mosley went down due to injury. He delivered a career season, and it resulted in him being rewarded with a three-year $45 million contract with $30 million of that guaranteed.
Sherwood finished the 2024 season with a 73.8 overall grade, a 77.1 run defense grade, a 68.1 pass rush grade, and a 66.2 coverage grade, per Pro Football Focus. He was top-25 at his position in every category.
However, he didn’t live up to the billing in 2025.
He finished with a 65.6 overall grade, a 81.0 run defense grade, a 70.5 pass rush grade, and a 46.1 coverage grade, per PFF. In three of those four categories, Sherwood was in the top 35 at his position. However, he ended up being one of the worst off-ball linebackers in coverage last year.
What was the difference between 2024 and 2025? Rutenberg, the coach for his entire professional career, left last offseason after Robert Saleh was fired.
Perhaps a reunion between Rutenberg and Sherwood could reignite his NFL career and get him back on the right track.
Jets Have a Multiple Choice Question on This Exam
If the Jets are ready to pull the plug on Sherwood just one year into his three-year deal, they should have plenty of suitors.
We are on the latest episode of Family Feud featuring former Jets coaches. We already talked about Rutenberg. There are also clear landing spots in Tennessee with the Titans and Robert Saleh. Don’t forget about Jeff Ulbrich in Atlanta with the Falcons.
They were all there for Sherwood’s rise from random day three pick to one of the top five highest-paid linebackers in the sport.
“Yeah, I do think Jamien Sherwood to me is a player that I would very much move off of if any offers came our way,” Jets analyst Dylan Tereman told me on “Boy Green Daily.”
“So while I would do this trade, absolutely, I would rather trade Jamien Sherwood later in the offseason to help them financially,” Tereman added.
That would allow the Jets to save the most cap space possible. With that cap space, the Jets could add a key veteran closer to the season in free agency or acquire a valuable 2027 NFL draft asset.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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