Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has been a well sought after coach for teams with head coaching openings. Although the Lions defense gave up 45 points in the Divisional Round, the team had many starters out. NFL franchises have remained extremely interested in Glenn. This one particular team is set to interview him for a second time.
Aaron Glenn Set For Second Interview With This Team
Aaron Glenn is set for his second interview with the New York Jets. The Jets are an intriguing job as the roster is loaded with talent however, ownership is a concern and the franchise has seen little success the past few decades. Glenn is an intriguing fit in New York, as the Jets previously hired and then fired a defensive-minded head coach in Robert Saleh . Lets take a deeper dive into the potential fit with Glenn in New York
Defensive minded
There is zero doubt that Aaron Glenn is a defensive minded head coach. Glenn was previously with the Jets as a personnel scout. From there, he worked his way up to being hired as defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2021. Glenn has overseen a huge defensive turnaround in Detroit. In Glenn’s first season in 2022, the Lions finished dead last in yards per game allowed. In 2023, this number improved to 19th. This season, despite numerous injuries, the Lions finished 20th in yards per game allowed.
While none of these numbers are eye popping, it is worth noting Detroit has numerous young, inexperienced players on their defense. Glenn has helped develop a bunch of young talent such as Aidan Hutchinson , Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Jack Campbell. The New York Jets have a lot of young talent on the defensive side of the ball. This includes cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J Reed, and lineman Quinnen Williams. Glenn would have the opportunity to work with some elite defensive players, and potentially have a top defense in the NFL.
Concerns with the fit
The New York Jets frequently hire defensive minded coaches. Rex Ryan, Todd Bowles, and Robert Saleh were all defensive minded coaches. Glenn would have a similar mindset as head coach. Adam Gase was an offensive minded coach, but he was an absolute train wreck in his short time with New York. There are more question marks with the New York Jets offense right now than there are on their defense. This has been the case for the majority of the years of these past two decades.
This is a concern as Glenn has limited offensive experience. In the past three seasons, the Jets have finished top 4 in yards allowed per game. This was partly due to the defensive mind of Robert Saleh, but the New York offense was so abysmal it did not matter. The franchise thought they solved their offensive woes by trading for future hall of fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the 2023 offseason. Rodgers tore his achilles in the season opener of the 2023-24 season. He worked his way back to full health this year, but the offense still struggled mightily.
The Jets offense ranked 24th in yards per game this year and 25th in points per game. With a defense that was top 3 in yards allowed per game, this is not good enough. The Jets may want to consider hiring an offensive minded coach, as there are many more question marks on that side of the ball.
What lies ahead in New York
The New York Jets have had numerous names floated around their vacant head coach position. Some other names including Brian Flores, Josh McCown, and even Rex Ryan have been linked to the position. Does owner Woody Johnson think Glenn is the right head coach? Will the Jets hire a new general manager before a head coach? These are critical moves for the future of the franchise as the Jets look for the head coach to get them back to the Super Bowl, and Aaron Glenn may be the guy.
Main Photo: Junfu Han – USA Today Sports
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