Former Jets HC Rex Ryan made a return to Florham Park at mandatory minicamp. Ryan, the father of passing game coordinator Seth Ryan, saw a lot of familiar faces during practice, including Karl Dunbar. The longtime defensive line coach, who worked under Ryan at 1 Jets Drive from 2012-14, is serving in the same capacity under HC Aaron Glenn.

"It's great to be back," Dunbar recently told reporters. "It's kind of funny because I'm in a different period in my life right now. Last time we were here we had two daughters in school, they went to Whippany Park, and we rented a house and now we're in an apartment. I haven't lived in an apartment in a long time, you know. But no, it's funny, it's great; I see a lot of familiar faces in this building and around this town. Morristown, Parsippany, Whippany, it's a nice little spot to be."

From 2018-25, Dunbar headed up the Steelers' defensive line that featured a pair of elite fixtures in edge T.J. Watt and DT Cameron Heyward. But Dunbar became a free agent shortly after Mike Tomlin stepped away from coaching following a historic 19-season run.

On Feb. 8, Glenn officially added Dunbar to his revamped staff. While Glenn and Dunbar had not worked together before, there is a family connection that traces back two decades. In 2006, Dunbar started a five-year run in Minnesota as Glenn's younger brother, Jason Glenn, was finishing his NFL career as a reserve linebacker.

"It wasn't really a conversation," Dunbar said of his chats with Glenn. "I mean, when we talked, it was more, 'Karl, I love what you do and do you want to come be a Jet,' and I said yes. I was talking to some other people, I called them and said I'm going to see AG, and I guess it was because of what I knew about AG. We worked together in Minnesota, he was a scout before he left and went to the Saints, so knew a little bit of him, coached his brother -- his brother was a linebacker on my team, so I knew the family."

With Glenn calling defensive plays, the Jets will be multiple with their fronts. They made a big player-for-player saw in February, acquiring DT/NT T'Vondre Sweat (6-4, 366) from the Titans in exchange for Jermaine Johnson.

"I think everybody has a different body type, style, and his is working for him and I love big men," Dunbar said of Sweat. "I remember my coach telling me back in the day, 'Big men are like pretty women; there's not a lot of them, but everyone wants them.'"

Not long after the trade for Sweat, the Jets added another key interior piece with the free agent signing of DL David Onyemata. Linebacker Demario Davis, a teammate of Onyemata's in New Orleans, called DO one of the best run defenders he's played with.

"I think David is a really good part of the puzzle that we need here," Dunbar said. "He's a mature guy, he's an athletic guy and he does a good job. I think having that veteran experience along with him and Harry (Harrison Phillips) is going to really help that group."

In addition to the fortified middle, the Jets selected the best pass rusher in the 2026 Draft Class. David Bailey, the Texas Tech product who was taken No. 2 overall, is listed as an edge and will play both from a stand-up position and with his hand in the dirt.

"I think he is a good athlete; he's bursty, he can get off, he's smart, and that's all we see because we don't have pads on," Dunbar said. "He does a great job of taking notes, studying, and preparing for the next day's work. I think that's the thing being a Stanford grad and understanding that the quicker he learns things, the more we can give him, and I think that's been great for us."

Dunbar, who is entering his 20th season coaching in the NFL, was asked if he believes he is a better coach the second time around with the Green & White.

"You tell me in a year," he said. "I think I'm a better coach. I think I've adapted to the new part of the game. When I first got in the league, everybody had a fullback. There's no more fullbacks and a lot of zone stuff. You get some trap plays with traps and counters, but I think you have to teach guys how to attack the line of scrimmage with their hands, being able to get off the blocks, and being able to rush the passer. So, I think that has been an evolution of the game, and if you want to survive as a coach -- you have to evolve as well."