Frank Reich had an itch. And when presented with the prospect of signing on as the Jets' and HC Aaron Glenn's new offensive coordinator he decided to scratch away.

"As soon as AG called, I knew right away this was something I wanted to do, mainly because of him, but also because of the challenge and the opportunity to be a part of a staff and be a part of a team and organization that has an opportunity to do something special and turn something around," Reich said. "At this point, I love that idea and I'm excited about that and I feel like I got something to offer and contribute to helping that happen."

As he began to take stock of the task ahead, Reich liked what he saw -- from the prospect of working with veteran QB Geno Smith, to a strong offensive line, skill players at wide receiver and running back and promising draft picks (for example, TE Kenyon Sadiq and WR Omar Cooper Jr.).

"Take what looks on the surface like a difficult situation and figure out how to get it done, knowing that it can get done," Reich said. "That's what I love about this business. It's the best of the best. You're with the best coaches and the best players in the world. And I could see from watching the tape very early on and just knowing my familiarity with some of the people here beforehand, knowing how good the offensive line looked, obviously, you got a running back and receiver in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall that are really good players, a tight end room [with Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert and No. 16 overall draft pick Sadiq] that's very strong. There was a lot to like about looking at this team, looking at this opportunity in front of us."

Ponds and Glenn: When Size Doesn't Matter
The comparisons began from the moment NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Jets' selection, No. 50 overall, in the second round of the draft last month in Pittsburgh -- Indiana CB D'Angelo Ponds.

Like his head coach Aaron Glenn who played 15 seasons and was often described as "undersized," Ponds has heard the comparisons. And now the Jets' new DC Brian Duker, 36, who was born only a few years before Glenn made his debut in green and white in 1994, is making the connection.

"First, in regard to the comparison to AG, certainly find it as amusing as everyone else," Duker said on Wednesday. "I can't say I watched AG's tape coming out, so I'm not too qualified to compare the two tapes, but I understand why they say that from a measurables standpoint. That's all I can say about the comparison. In terms of the player, for D'Angelo, been super impressed by his ability just as a football player and has shown that he can get the ball back, has shown he can be a lockdown corner."

Ponds (5-8, 182) plays with the same tenacity and stickiness as Glenn did during his career. After transferring from James Madison to Indiana (moving there along with HC Curt Cignetti), Ponds in 15 starts last season led IU's National Championship defense with 10 pass breakups and added 61 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INTs (one returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble and a blocked kick.

"D'Angelo is his own man," Glenn said after the draft. "And again, he's a guy that we love. Man, the traits speak for themselves, when it comes to height, weight and all of that. The physical characteristics of the player overcome a lot of the traits that he has, in terms of his height. I love the player. Tough, aggressive [and] comes from a winning program."

On Special Teams, Banjo Betting on Belton
In his four seasons in the NFL, all with the Giants, S Dane Belton has earned a reputation as a tenacious and high-level special teams player. Signed by the Jets in free agency, Belton joins a stacked safeties room that includes the veteran Minkah Fitzpatrick, Andre Cisco (who re-signed with the team), second-year man Malachi Moore and late-round draft pick VJ Payne (among others).

That means that Chris Banjo, who oversaw the Jets' strong special teams last season, hopes Belton can continue to excel on specials. Last season, he led the Giants' special teams with 12 tackles (5 solo, 7 assists), while taking more than 70% of ST snaps over the last three seasons and playing in all 17 games each season

"I think he adds a different dynamic, another dynamic I should say," Banjo said on Wednesday. "I think the guys we have in the room already have been doing a great job in terms of their attention to detail and their process, but I think we also know it's no secret the type of player Dane has been able to be throughout his first couple of years in the league. So, we look forward to him using his skillset to be able to show some of those same things. I also look forward to the opportunity to hopefully help him raise his floor so he can continue to be the dynamic special teams player he has been."