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I asked Robert Saleh today about the blockbuster scoop last week from the Jets’ media partner, SNY, that the Jets were looking to replace Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator.
Here is that exchange:
New York Jets Confidential: Robert, there was a report that you guys legitimately tried to hire someone who would replace Nathaniel Hackett. What was the thinking there?
Saleh: I addressed all that stuff at the owner’s meeting, so I’m not going to rehash it.
New York Jets Confidential: This was a report last week.
Saleh: It was rehashed from the owner’s meeting.
Here is what Saleh was referring to, it was this exchange on March 25th at the owner’s meeting.
Questions from SNY’s Connor Hughes in Orlando: There was a report that you guys were looking to add a senior advisor to your offensive staff. Is that something you are still looking to do?
Saleh: No, we have our staff. I always had three guys in that room. God rest his soul – Knapper (Greg Knapp) was with (Rob) Calabrese and (Mike) LaFleur, and then we had (Matt) Cavanaugh. Last year we had (Todd) Downing with [Nathaniel Hackett] and Calabrese. You always looking to add that third piece. I felt Downing and Hackett would be enough.
How does that answer lead Hughes to write last week:
“The Jets made legitimate attempts this offseason to hire someone who would, essentially, replace Hackett.”
That is wild.
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich addressed the media today.
Nothing about the run defense from last year.
People don’t ask about that.
We keep hearing about how great the Jets’ defense is, and their run defense was bad last year.
So the only conclusion that can be drawn from that is a new standard in media when judging defenses – you can be considered elite without stopping the run.
There is no way around it.
Anybody who says the Jets had an elite defense last year, doesn’t value run defense. It is what it is . . .
One prominent member of the Jets’ undrafted free agent class is Arkansas guard Brady Latham. He clearly arrived with an injury
He was held out of the rookie minicamp and now the OTAs with some kind of leg issue.
It’s probably not serious, but he hasn’t participated in any on-field work yet.
He was a pretty good player at Arkansas who is likely a practice squad candidate. He was good enough to be invited to the combine . . .
Look, you can’t make too much of the passing game in spring practices, because there is no pass rush and very little contact, but Aaron Rodgers looked terrific throwing the ball today, he had several nice connections with Garrett Wilson, and connected on a deep ball to Xavier Gipson . . .
One thing about the Gipson TD, he got behind linebacker C.J. Mosley and safety Chuck Clark.
The Jets need to make sure they have enough speed up the middle on the second and third levels of their defense. We all know the importance of being strong up the middle in sports. This play was a bad optic.
I’m not saying Mosley and Clark aren’t the answers, just saying that the Jets need to monitor whether they have the requisite speed up the middle . . .
Watching Rodgers backup QB Tyrod Taylor today, it’s pretty clear he’s a very conservative passer.
And that isn’t a new development. If you watched him over the years, that is his game.
He’s a game-manager who is very good at ball security and doesn’t like to take a lot of chances.
I’m not saying that as a criticism, just an observation. He’s just not a cat who is going to make a lot of high-risk throws, and this fact has probably helped him hang around the league this long.
Backup quarterbacks who turn the ball over, don’t last very long.
May 21, 2024
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