Who are some coaching candidates for the New York Jets?

The New York Jets continued their chaos and depression-inducing ways this week when they fired Robert Saleh just five games into his third season coaching the team. Expectations were high after coming over from San Francisco, where he coached the 49ers' elite defense to a Super Bowl. 

Sadly for Saleh and Jets fans, nothing mattered as the bad luck and literal breaks never went his way during their tenure. 

When Owner Woody Johnson spoke to the media this week, he said this team could win now. That tells me two things: General Manager Joe Douglas’s job is safe, and he is looking for a coach who can win now. Of course, that second point will make the job exponentially harder for whoever they bring in.

Some will say they need a “general” sort of coach. Others will say they need an offensive-minded coach. Perhaps they even get someone who is seen as an up-and-comer of a candidate. Either way, this hire is crucial to the team’s success, and these are the candidates I see them being linked to and considering. 

Candidates the Jets Should Attempt to Hire 

Mike Vrabel, Former Titans HC and current Browns Consultant 

Mike Vrabel is who the Jets should go after first, but I don’t see him “settling” for this unstable job. After being fired from the Titans as the reigning Coach of the Year, he has a full understanding of how quickly the ground can come out from under a coach. The Jets need a vocal, strong leader, and Vrabel can be one of them. If they could get him, they would retain a defensive-minded coaching staff, and it would also be a voice that Aaron Rodgers would respect as a player and a proven winner. 

Brian Flores, Vikings Defensive Coordinator

Brian Flores is working some voodoo magic with the Vikings' defense. They are undefeated and going into their Bye Week, and the steam for Flores to become a head coach is growing again. It would be poetic for Flores to coach the division rivals of his former team, the Dolphins, as it would be the perfect chance for him to get revenge. Flores, like Vrabel, is no dummy when it comes to handling a team trying to bring him in as a head coach. While he may be a perfect fit, Woody Johnson will need help getting him into the building, given his past comments on various issues. Flores will want the right franchise over the right team, as he has shown he can get the most out of any player he coaches. It is not so easy when an owner is against him or making things difficult. 

Candidates to Benefit the Offense 

Klint Kubiak, Saints Offensive Coordinator 

Klint Kubiak brings NFL bloodlines in coaching and a record of creating explosive offenses. What he has done this year with the Saints through five weeks is beyond impressive. They are averaging 28 points per game and 328 yards of offense per game against some impressive teams. He has worked under the likes of Kyle Shanahan and Mike Zimmer, so he has seen what it takes to have a presence in a locker room and lead a team. The Saints' offense has tapered off recently, but the injuries have racked up for them. Him with Aaron Rodgers, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall would be fun to watch.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator 

Joe Brady was somehow given a lifeboat on the NFL’s Titanic, the Carolina Panthers, when he was let go in his first season with the team. The Panthers' struggles were not his fault in hindsight but rather the fault of a front office that was inept to building an NFL team. He rebounded from losing that job by going to Buffalo, where he was an offensive analyst before taking over for Ken Dorsey, who was let go in the middle of last season. Since he took over in Buffalo, we have seen them adopt the running game more, Josh Allen isn’t turning the ball over as much, and the team is thriving in its receiver-by-committee approach. He may not be a popular name to pop up when discussing this job, or any, this offseason, but he has earned it.

Candidates Most Likely to Take/Get the Job

Matt Campbell, Head Coach at Iowa State 

Matt Campbell turned down the Jets job in 2018 when they were prepared to offer him something he couldn’t refuse. This may lead you to assume, “well, if he turned them down before, why should he be favored now?” It is a fair question, but at the time he was riding high with Iowa State, and while things have been up and down for the Cyclones, he remains one of the best college coaches in the country. I can see Woody Johnson pulling out all the stops to get Campbell to meet because if they can meet, I can see Johnson doing what he can to close the deal. As far as the fit, it reunites him with Breece Hall, whom he knows can be an elite player, so they ride the rushing attack while taking some weight off the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers and bringing new energy to a young Jets team.

Vance Joseph, Broncos Defensive Coordinator

If you forced me to pick a name for the Jets to hire, it would be Vance Joseph. He was seen as getting a raw deal from the Denver Broncos before being let go after two seasons. Ironically, he returned to the Broncos and has that defense playing as both underrated and one of the best units in the NFL. He is respected around the league, he is eager for a second chance; and those two things are why I see Woody Johnson and Joe Douglas making a pitch to him, and he takes it. It may sound like I am down on the hire, but deep down, I think he would maximize the defense and build the right staff to maximize the offense.