The Jets' first-year GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn are betting that the team's array of coaches -- from newcomers OC Tanner Engstrand and DC Steve Wilks to holdover WR coach Shawn Jefferson, and others -- can bring renewed success to some of the Green & White's signings in free agency and a draft pick or two.
"I think he's [AG] expecting a lot from his coaches," the Jets' former WR Quincy Enunwa told Eric Allen on an edition of "The Official Jets Podcast." "He wants them to get the most out of his players. When you look at some of the guys, whether it be the free-agent acquisitions, you talk about [S Andre] Cisco, you talk about [CB Brandon] Stephens, both guys, everybody was like:, 'Oh, they didn't have great years last year, right?' If you talk about [WR] Arian Smith in the draft, these are guys that everybody's talking about their flaws.
"But AG sees something in them. And I think every time he talks about them, he acknowledges maybe that they didn't do what they wanted to do last year, but also how talented they are underneath. And so that's big on coaching. I think about when I first got here [in 2014], there were a lot of knocks on me, not being able to catch the ball, not being able to run routes. And I think one thing that really helped me was good coaching, coaches that believed in you, but also knew how to get the technique out of you. So, I think he's really crafted a coaching staff that can do that. Now this first year will be the test to see if they're really capable of doing that. But I'm looking forward to it. I think you don't put much confidence in these guys if you don't believe in them."
When it comes to the Jets' free-agent signings, they've helped the roster get younger. Cisco, 26, had good metrics last season with Jacksonville -- ranking 18th out of 70 safeties (minimum: 250 coverage snaps), according to Next Gen Stats. Stephens, 27, allowed 66 receptions for 906 yards and 4 TD with Baltimore last season. He replaces D.J. Reed across from Sauce Gardner and is likely to be tested, as he was with the Ravens. Smith, the speedster from Georgia (where he played with four different quarterbacks), will have to prove the rap against him -- that he has a proclivity to drop passes -- can be overcome with coaching and attention to detail.
At the top of that list is free-agent QB Justin Fields, 26, a first-round draft pick of the Bears in 2021 who is angling to re-energize his NFL career with his third team and whose football story is far from written.
"I think that AG is definitely looking at that," Enunwa said. "He's looking at a guy like [Tampa Bay QB] Baker Mayfield. And we talk all the time about [Sam] Darnold, we talk all the time about Geno [Smith], but Mayfield is another guy, and I think that's something that you want to look at and say: 'Hey, listen, he was coached this way. We put him in an environment where he was successful. We gave him all the tools he needed.' And they're continuing to give him tools, they just drafted [Ohio State WR] Emeka Egbuka. So, yeah, I think the Jets are looking at that mold and want to do the same thing for Justin Fields."
See Garrett Wilson, Justin Fields, Saucer Gardner and the rest of the Jets on the field during the beginning of Phase 3 of the voluntary offseason program.
Another plus for Fields is his existing relationship with his former Buckeyes teammate Garrett Wilson, who is joined in the room by Allen Lazard (6-3), who is looking to bounce back, and free agent Josh Reynolds (6-3), who played with Denver and Jacksonville last season.
"Allen Lazard had a good showing the first few weeks before he had that [chest] injury," Enunwa said. "That was a pretty tough injury that he's not really spoken of, but it's tough to come back from that and then go ahead and play at a high level again. If he can bring that out and be consistent, I think that's the biggest question with Allen Lazard, are you going to be consistent? And he can do that, be the number two. But right now, what I've seen from Josh Reynolds is he's capable of being number two and I think will push him."
Glenn, an elite DB in his day, knows an elite DB when he sees one and knows he's inherited one in fourth-year star Sauce Gardner. Yet even a guy who earned All-Pro honors in his first two years in the league can benefit from quality coaching. So in comes defensive backs/passing game coordinator Chris Harris, with 12 years experience, and assistant DB coach Dré Bly.
"And as a guy that has a lot of confidence in your building, you have to be willing to be coached," Enunwa said. "And even though it's Year 4, he's a vet, so he knows exactly what he needs to do. He also has to be willing to say 'Hey listen, I don't know everything, let me go ahead and listen to what you have to say."
