Jets hiring Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator on Aaron Glenn’s employees
Aaron Glenn instructed everybody to place their seat belts on throughout his introductory information convention. Now, we’re starting to search out out who’s driving the Jets bus with him.
The Jets agreed to a take care of Steve Wilks as their new defensive coordinator and Chris Banjo as their particular groups coordinator, sources confirmed.
Wilks, the previous head coach with the Cardinals, had been considered as the favourite to land the job since Glenn was employed.
Banjo has been the assistant particular groups coach for the Broncos for the previous two years.
Wilks, 55, is a veteran coach who has served as a defensive coordinator for the Panthers, Browns and 49ers.
He spent one season because the Cardinals head coach in 2018 and likewise served as interim coach in Carolina in 2022.
Wilks final labored because the 49ers defensive coordinator in 2023 however was fired after one season.
He was out of the league final yr. In 5 seasons as a coordinator or head coach, Wilks solely had a prime 10 protection in yards allowed or factors as soon as, with the 49ers in 2023, after they had been prime 10 in each.
Glenn mentioned Monday that he received’t name the defensive performs, so Wilks is a key rent. Wilks can even assist Glenn alongside as a brand new head coach along with his expertise within the job.
Banjo, 34, had a 10-year taking part in profession within the NFL and overlapped with Glenn with the Saints from 2016-18, when Glenn was the defensive backs coach.
The Jets haven’t needed to rent a particular groups coordinator since 2016, when Brant Boyer took the job.
Wilks and Banjo are the primary huge hires by Glenn.
The brand new Jets coach is engaged on assembling his teaching employees alongside new common supervisor Darren Mougey. The 2 are busy at work looking for the assistant coaches who will reshape the Jets underneath Glenn.
Glenn is hiring practically a very new employees. Most of the Jets coaches underneath Robert Saleh have landed different jobs already or been instructed they received’t be again.
Extensive receivers coach Shawn Jefferson and passing recreation coordinator Todd Downing are the one high-level members of Saleh’s employees who may return, in line with sources.
Glenn mentioned a number of occasions on Monday that the important thing to altering the tradition can be in regards to the individuals employed to work for the Jets.
“I can stand in entrance of a bunch of males and I can provide as many rah-rah speeches as I can, however tradition is about individuals and getting the precise individuals within the constructing,” Glenn mentioned. “I noticed that firsthand with what Invoice Parcells did and that’s why the turnaround was so quick.”
Offensive coordinator appears like crucial rent for Glenn, and Lions passing recreation coordinator Tanner Ergstrand has emerged as the favourite to get the job, in line with sources.
Ergstrand, 42, was seen as a attainable alternative for Ben Johnson as offensive coordinator with the Lions, however Detroit employed former Jets offensive coordinator John Morton as an alternative.
Ergstrand labored with Glenn in Detroit since 2021. Previous to that, he had labored underneath Jim Harbaugh in school.
It looks like the possibilities of the Jets hiring Rams tight ends coach and passing recreation coordinator Nick Caley are fading.
He was the new title when Glenn initially obtained the job, however he has interviewed with the Buccaneers and Texans for his or her offensive coordinator jobs, however not the Jets but.
The Jets employed Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden to be their new offensive line coach, in line with The NFL Community.
Heiden performed tight finish for 11 seasons within the NFL for the Chargers and Browns. He has coached the tight ends in Detroit for the previous two years.
Heiden has by no means been an offensive line coach, however he was the assistant offensive line coach in 2018 for the Cardinals.
The NFL Community additionally reported the Jets have requested to interview Commanders assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough for the quarterbacks coach job.
The Jets additionally interviewed former Titans defensive passing recreation coordinator and cornerbacks coach Chris Harris for the defensive coordinator job.
A supply indicated that Harris might be in line to be the defensive backs coach underneath Wilks.
