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Aaron Whitecotton, the Jets defensive line the last four years, took the same job with the Dallas Cowboys.
This is a solid move for both sides.
After four challenging seasons coaching with the Jets, and the team not seeing a lot of success, Whitecotton could probably use a change of scenery, for his soul.
And he’s a Southern guy from North Carolina, so moving to Texas, is probably something he will love (and he will also love the lack of state income tax).
Right before I sat down to write this, I happened to be on the NFL website, and there was a story about Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane. The story was related to Achane responding to Tyreek Hill saying the team needs more “dogs.”
Achane disagreed.
The way NFL.com works is when you click on a story about a player, it will often show a popup video with highlights of the player.
The video that popped up was a highlight package of Achane repeatedly gashing the Jets in the season finale. The Jets won this game, but their run defense was bad.
In these plays, they showed four runs, side from linebackers running into blocks, their defensive line wasn’t great on these plays.
On Achane’s 15-yard TD early in the fourth quarter, the defensive line got dominated – across the board – all four guys. I’m not going even to name names. You can watch it for yourself. Two guys shot too far upfield and two guys got mauled, and it was easy TD for Achane, who went through a gaping hole up the middle.
In the first quarter, Achane had a 20-yard run to the left side, right at defensive end Will McDonald.
I’m not going to criticize McDonald. I wrote about his run issues in the latest issue of Jets Confidential Magazine on sale now. He’s 236 pounds. If you see him in the locker room, you would think he might be a basketball shooting guard, and I don’t mean that in a flippant way, just a realistic observation of how he’s built. He often faces offensive tackles who outweigh him by 100 pounds. He’s a terrific edge rusher. He probably should be a situational pass rusher.
The two defensive tackles on this play would likely not have been on any other team’s roster this year.
Also in the first quarter, Achane had a 61-yard run up the middle. The two defensive tackles got manhandled on this play. Both undersized.
Look, I want to make something clear, I’m not looking to smear Whitecotton who is a solid coach and an even better person.
I think a lot of the run game issues were scheme and personnel-related, and he didn’t put in the scheme and he didn’t pick the personnel.
The Jets had three undrafted free agents on the active roster, when all three were likely practice squad players on other teams. Who keeps three undrafted rookie free agent defensive tackles on their active roster? That is very unusual.
I don’t want to pick on these guys. It was not their fault they were put in the regular roster not that practice squad. That is on the decision-makers.
For instance, rookie Eric Watts out of UConn, is a practice squad type of player. He has a great motor, but his pad level is consistently too high.
Whitecotton was asked about Watts during the season and said the Jets were fortunate he wasn’t drafted and were able to get him as a UDFA. Watching him, I didn’t see a draftable player.
Another issue on the defensive line was related to the former head coach falling in love with certain players and keeping them around for too long.
Whitecotton an energetic, enthusiastic, positive coach, and a great person and should do well in Dallas.
The purpose of the post isn’t to cast aspersions on Whitecotton, but just to say that a split here was best for both sides.
Eric Washington is the new defensive line coach. He spent four years in Buffalo and nine years in Carolina among other stops.
The Jets defensive linemen perhaps need a new voice.
And Whitecotton needs a new challenge.
February 3, 2025
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