Pondering The Unthinkable: What If The Jets’ Moves Don’t Take Flight?
When you’re a Jets fan, hope is always supposed to be just around the corner.
At least that’s what the organization tries to sell the public. The Jets soar in the offseason and dominate the back pages. The results that count? Pure turbulence.
In a recent seven-day span, New York fired its losing head coach and traded for a former All-Pro wide receiver. “See, we believe this season is salvageable,” the Jets say.
Never mind that the Jets (2-4) have dropped three consecutive games and are in such disarray that Mike Williams, their marquee wide receiver free agent signing from the offseason who was thrown under the bus by his quarterback following Monday night’s 23-20 loss to visiting Buffalo, was listed as “did not practice” on Wednesday due to personal reasons (Note: Williams was reportedly at One Jets Drive on Thursday); premier edge rusher Haason Reddick is still holding out awaiting a resolution on his trade request; kicker Greg Zuerlein will have to fend off some competition this week in order to keep his job for Sunday’s prime time contest in Pittsburgh; and injuries have lopped off three-fifths of their regular secondary.
Just another week in a Jets fan’s torture chamber.
The beer goggles fans point to the coaching changes to interim HC Jeff Ulbrich and play-caller Todd Downing, the Davante Adams addition, a softer upcoming schedule, the potential for growth in an offense still on a learning curve with Aaron Rodgers, etc. as reasons to maintain enthusiasm for this squad. And yes, it certainly is possible that everything will work out by December for a magical run to Gang Green’s first postseason in 14 years.
Adams, if he stays healthy, isn’t Randall Cobb or even Allen Lazard, two other Rodgers’ buddies from his stellar Green Bay days who underachieved after putting on Jets uniforms, Cobb massively so. An Adams/Garrett Wilson duo should be quite productive on paper. The oddsmakers must be drinking the Kool Aid, as Las Vegas made New York a road favorite against a 4-2 Steelers squad that boasts the NFL’s biggest defensive game-wrecker in edge rusher T.J. Watt.
But then again, there are multiple reasons why they’ll all be wrong and the Jets will again flame out earlier than the optimistic fans hoped. The backups to a secondary that had been covering up for substandard play up front will be tested (Buffalo’s Josh Allen targeted safety Ashtyn Davis unmercifully on Monday night). Bookend tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses have not been what they used to be in helping the offense establish an identity. And the jury is still out on whether Ulbrich & Co. can deliver the accountability for mistakes that every previous Jets coach has preached but never stiffly enforced.
Assume for the moment that the Jets fall short of the playoffs again since you’ll soon figure out that the “easier” schedule is not really that easy. Let’s see how they handle Pittsburgh’s physicality in the trenches. The Jets already blew a home game to a Denver squad with a rookie QB, for heaven’s sake.
I’d concur that their remaining matchups aren’t insurmountable before they step on the field, but you’re banking on a congealing that hasn’t shown signs of happening. Forget everything you know about the history of the Jets and just focus on what you’ve seen this season to date. Can you honestly state that this team is capable of going on something like a 9-2 run (8-3 might do it) to secure a playoff berth?
So, to jump ahead of things…and then what?
If it all goes South in the next 2.5 months, Jets owner Woody Johnson would be out of illusions. General Manager Joe Douglas has to see the writing on his soon-to-be-expiring contract. Or did you not find it curious that Douglas was nowhere to be found in the aftermath of two monumental moves? How could he even defend a fifth consecutive also-ran finish (I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for 2019 since he was hired after the roster was configured)?
No competent owner would declare that Douglas deserved a contract extension after such putrid results. Johnson, then, would actually have to get to work to find new people who know how to run a football operation, not exactly his forte. That would initiate a trickle-down sequence whereby the new GM would pick a coach, who would then put together a staff.
Would that staff include embattled Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett? Not if Johnson wants a top HC candidate with other NFL options.
And how would moving on from Hackett affect his dear friend Rodgers’ decision as to whether he wants to play another season? Currently, he seems happy with the prospect of running it back with Adams, who in turn said he is open to renegotiating his deal so he too can stay in New York. However, Rodgers has earned the right to change his mind, especially if all the upheaval makes him skittish about subjecting his body to more poundings at 41. He always preaches, “I want to win.” If he’s clear-headed after his next darkness retreat, will he conclude that this is the place where winning can be achieved?
If not, that would put the Jets back to Square One in their neverending hunt for a top quarterback, because QB2 is 35-year old journeyman Tyrod Taylor. Douglas took Jordan Travis in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he’s been on the Reserve/non-football injury list while rehabbing a horrible leg injury from his last season at Florida State. And he wasn’t projected to be an NFL starter out of the gate anyway.
You could argue that this whole Johnson-inspired plan—Rodgers, the coaching carousel, all the aging mercenaries, the Adams trade, etc.—was worth the risk. This team was dead in the water following two whiffs on top-3 drafted quarterbacks. Why not go all-in, especially if you deluded yourself into believing the rest of the roster core was championship caliber?
Well, this is a rinse-and-repeat from Johnson. We know how it always ends.
So while I too retain a glimmer of hope that I will one day get to see my favorite team play in a Super Bowl before I die, this probably won’t be the year. And after the fall: Carnage.
Prediction: Steelers 22 Jets 16