Jets' brain trust deserves chance to see this through in 2024

EAST RUTHERFORD — Patience isn’t a virtue shared by Woody and Christopher Johnson, but the brothers are attempting to give it a try as it pertains to the Jets’ construction.

There will be no major changes as it pertains to the coaching staff or front office. That means head coach Robert Saleh, coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and general manager Joe Douglas will all return in 2024. The elder Johnson confirmed SNY’s report in an interview with the New York Post Sunday morning.

Good. The group deserves a chance to see it through.

But now they must begin narrowing the very obvious gap between themselves and the premier teams in the NFL.

“I’m always appreciative to get Woody's support,” Saleh said after Sunday's 30-28 win over the Washington Commanders.

It’s clear the Jets’ roster, specifically the offense, isn’t what it was expected to be. With Aaron Rodgers most felt they could be among the best in the NFL, but 2023 exposed the group as one needing serious additions. The Jets entered Sunday averaging just over 255 yards per game and only 14.4 points. That’s not only worse than the production that cost Mike LaFleur his job in 2023 (318 yards, 17.4 points), but also Adam Gase’s final season in 2020 (279.9, 15.2).

The Jets had just one first-quarter offensive touchdown this season entering Sunday. They’d scored just 13 touchdowns all year. After a 30-0 loss to the Dolphins in Week 15, receiver Allen Lazard said the Jets were “out-schemed” and “out-efforted,” a direct shot at the coaching staff. Wideout Garrett Wilson agreed with Lazard’s assessment.

They were better against Washington (30 points, 26 first downs and 381 yards), but some of that had to do with the fact they played the league’s worst-ranked defense.

“I still believe in (the coaches),” linebacker CJ Mosley said. “The veterans on this team believe in them.”

The Jets have three main issues on offense: Their quarterback, their line, and the lack of a running mate for superstar Garrett Wilson. The quarterback problem should rectify itself with Rodgers’ return, but the other two must be addressed in free agency and the draft.

The Jets will enter the offseason looking for a left tackle, right tackle, and a starting-caliber backup at right guard in case Alijah Vera-Tucker isn’t 100 percent. They could also be in the market for a left guard if they choose to move on from Laken Tomlinson, who’s been a disappointment since signing with them as a free agent two years ago. Then they’ll look for a true X receiver, believing Wilson is best in a Cooper Kupp-like role in the slot.

In theory, that doesn’t sound like much — add a wideout and address the offensive line. It’s proved much more challenging in practice. Douglas made rebuilding the offensive line a priority when he was hired in 2019. It’s still an issue with its only mainstay being Vera-Tucker, who’s coming off back-to-back seasons cut short due to injury. The Jets have used draft picks (Denzel Mims, Elijah Moore) and major free-agent dollars (Corey Davis, Lazard) on wideouts to no avail.

It seems silly to assume the Jets will do in one offseason what they haven’t been able to in five. The Johnsons will give Saleh and Douglas a chance.

“It’s cool for the owners and all to show the faith they have in our coaches and everything,” said running back Breece Hall, who had 191 total yards and two touchdowns against the Commanders. “We have some real good guys on our team. We need a few more pieces and everything, but it’s going to be cool to see how everything continues to grow.”

The Johnsons are looking past most of this year’s struggles in making their decision, attributing the team’s failures to Rodgers’ injury. In their opinion: The Jets entered this season as one of the five or six capable of making a Super Bowl run and they owe it to Douglas and Saleh to see it through with a healthy Rodgers.

They also believe blowing it all up now will do more harm than good. Adding a new general manager and coach signals a full-on rebuild, an undertaking the Jets aren’t yet ready for with a 40-year-old Rodgers expected back in 2024 and 2025. Rodgers, this week on the Pat McAfee Show, threw his support behind the brain trust.

While minor tweaks to Saleh’s staff are expected, the lack of wholesale changes won’t appease the majority of New York’s rabid fanbase. The Jets missed the playoffs for a 13th straight year in 2023. Saleh’s roster showed little signs of improvement and caved in on itself once Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the opener. This exposed Douglas’ flawed roster, which entered most games without a chance because of a porous offensive line and no contingency plan behind Rodgers.

The Jets, for a second straight year, wasted a defense Saleh described as “championship level” because their offense couldn’t begin to carry its weight.

“There's a lot of things that we look back at from the season,” Saleh said. “A lot of things that we know we can do a lot better and a lot of things we've learned from."

If they address their issues on offense, maybe the goals they hoped to accomplish in 2023 they can in 2024.

At the minimum: This group will get a chance to see if they can, and what will happen if they do.