The New York Jets are in a complete overhaul of their team thanks to new GM Darren Mougey and new head coach Aaron Glenn. And why not? They haven’t made the playoffs in 14 years, a number that is double the length of any other playoff drought in the NFL. One of the most important parts the overhaul will be attempting to fix an offense that has been mediocre in the best of times the last two decades.
To fix the offense the Jets made a change at the two most important parts of the offensive game, the quarterback and the offensive coordinator.
I have said on countless occasions that I have very little faith in new quarterback Justin Fields. I think he is much more of an athlete than he is a quarterback and while I think he can win a game, I don’t think he can find any sustained success.
The other half of that equation is the man Aaron Glenn tabbed to be the new offensive coordinator, Tanner Engstrand. I know very little about Engstrand, other than he comes with some red flags that caught my attention.
Engstrand has never been a coordinator at the NFL level. "One hundred percent, absolutely ready," he said. "I'm excited to be in it. I've been in a coordinator role before at multiple different places, obviously not in the NFL, but I think nine years or something like that, as a coordinator, and so I feel 100% confident. I'm excited for this opportunity."
He called plays at the University of San Diego and briefly in the XFL under Pep Hamilton in 2019 with the DC Defenders. Asked whom the biggest influences on his career have been, the new Jets OC cited the Lions' Ben Johnson and Dan Campbell, Hamilton, and former San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh. Based on the names he gave as influences, we can surmise that a running foundation will be vital in Engstrand's offense.
And the Jets should have a strong foundation for that run game. They have four top 45 players and a high-priced free agent along the offensive line and three running backs who can bring something different to the table. Not to mention, Justin Fields’ legs.
"Yeah, I think we just want to play fast," he said. "We want to be physical; we want to be aggressive, we want to be explosive, and we want to be detailed. We want that to show up on tape each and every week. When somebody looks at our tape, we want those things to show up, and that's what we're going to shoot for."
The running game will need to be strong, because the Jets will not have much of a passing game to speak of. Other than Garrett Wilson, the Jets don’t have any proven receivers on the roster and their tight ends are unknowns or disappointments (although hopes are high).
Engstrand will have his work cut out for him if he wants to find any type of sustained success with the Jets. The Jets haven’t had an offensive coordinator hold the position for more than two seasons since current Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer held the post for six years.
Nathaniel Hackett served as the offensive coordinator for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Prior to Hackett, Mike LaFleur held the position for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Dowell Loggains was the offensive coordinator for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Jeremy Bates held the position in 2018, and John Morton in 2017. Chan Gailey served as offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016. Marty Mornhinweg held the position in 2013 and 2014, and Tony Sparano in 2012.
Let’s hope the Jets have found a diamond in the rough and not just another name in the long list of failed coordinators.
