The Jets enjoyed stability on defense for three-plus seasons, having Robert Saleh overseeing Jeff Ulbrich. The unit made tremendous strides in 2022 and remained certainly one of the league’s best in 2023. Woody Johnson went around then-GM Joe Douglas and fired Saleh in October 2024. The Jets’ defense has not regained its form since.
Although the Jets did rank third in total defense under Ulbrich last yr, they dropped to twentieth in scoring and twenty first in EPA per play. No silver lining was present under Steve Wilks, who oversaw the league’s Thirtieth-ranked scoring unit (twentieth in yardage, twenty eighth in EPA per play) and was fired after Week 15. This marks Wilks’ fifth straight one-and-done stretch within the NFL; overall, the previous Panthers and Cardinals HC has not stayed with the identical team/college program since his first Panthers stint ended after the 2017 season.
Wilks, 56, bumped into internal opposition during his rough Jets stay. Many players viewed Wilks’ scheme as ineffective, in keeping with SNY.television’s Connor Hughes, who adds one unnamed player questioned Wilks in a gathering. One other player repeatedly questioned his usage and lack of freedom throughout the scheme.
The Jets struggling defensively after the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades was to be expected, but Wilks’ unit was not doing well before those deadline moves. Wilks’ Jets work has not approached where the 49ers were (third in scoring defense, eighth in yardage) during his one-off with the NFC West club, and the veteran defensive boss’ stock continues to fall.
Wilks, though, worked under a defense-oriented HC. Aaron Glenn definitely deserves blame for the defense’s shape. The Jets have given up 82 points over the past two games — each blowout losses. While Gang Green’s quarterback situation has contributed heavily to those one-sided defeats — to the Dolphins and Jaguars — Glenn’s first yr has gone poorly. Given the state of the franchise when the previous Jets cornerback took over, a fast turnaround was not exactly expected.
Johnson also strongly endorsed Glenn on the October owners’ meetings, doing so while criticizing then-starter Justin Fields. Still, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes Glenn is “removed from assured” to be back for a second season. Considering the warmth Johnson took for meddling last yr and Glenn signing a five-year contract, it will be quite surprising to see the Jets pull the trigger now. We also heard last month Glenn was protected for 2026, with the rookie HC being involved in the choices the Jets made on the trade deadline.
This coaching market will not be exactly teeming with talent that might encourage confidence an upgrade is in store, with a number of defense-based leaders as the highest candidates. The Jets firing Glenn after one season would further depict this as an unstable organization. It should still be expected Glenn returns for 2026, when the team will hold two first-round picks due to the Gardner trade. However the heat could also be rising already for the previous Lions DC.