As the regular season ends, we see multiple teams look inward and make hard decisions about their coaching staffs. As I write this article the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders have fired their head coaches. That is in addition to the Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers who made their coaching decisions in-season.

For the New York Jets, we were assured a few weeks ago that head coach Robert Saleh would remain with the team, and frankly it is the right decision. His guys played hard right through the end despite the ineptitude of the offense without their starting quarterback and being eliminated from playoff contention.

You can make the case that his record would justify his firing, but I personally think he should get at least one year with a competent starting quarterback before we move on.

So, I think Robert Saleh should get one more bite at the apple. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich also should be safe considering how well that defense played. As long as he doesn’t get a head coaching job, and he will be in consideration for those. That’s where I draw the line on coaches who should be safe.

Let’s start with the obvious: Nathaniel Hackett. I think it’s safe to say that Hackett was an absolute disaster as an offensive coordinator this year. His play calling was laughably predictable, his adjustments were non-existent and his ability to utilize the weapons afforded to him were lacking.

Garrett Wilson essentially called Hackett out several times this year without saying his name including at his end of year press conference. Hackett’s built in excuse this year was that Aaron Rodgers and he was forced to work with Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. As I type this, the Cleveland Browns are three-point favorites on the road in the playoffs with Joe Flacco at quarterback.

Almost every team dealt with a backup quarterback situation this season and none of them had as long to get it right and did a worse job than Hackett. Hackett is the poster child for “my system and only my system”. Can’t run his system? Too bad. That’s what he is going to do.

While I am adamant that Hackett has done absolutely nothing to earn a second year as offensive coordinator, in the end I understand why he is returning. He was hired to work with Aaron Rodgers. Until that happens, he is safe.

The Jets are also likely to bring back passing game coordinator Todd Downing and offensive line coach/run game coordinator Keith Carter. These two I don’t understand keeping around. If any coach deserves to lose his job on the Jets staff, it is the ones in charge of an offensive line that ranked near the bottom in pass protection and rushing. The Jets offensive line was so bad that Zach Wilson refused to play behind them.

Neither coach is very well liked amongst some of his former player according to former offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans, Taylor Lewan who called them “authoritative” and had “impossible standards”.

NFL players talk to each other, so it might be difficult to convince a top offensive lineman to join the Jets in free agency under that coaching staff when they are viewed so poorly.

The Jets appear prepared to head into next season with almost the same personel on and off the field with the hope that Aaron Rodgers will cover all the warts that New York showed this year. That’s an awful lot resting on a 40-year-old shoulder.

Frustrated Jets’ Garrett Wilson calls out coaches

The day after the season ends is always an emotional one for players and coaches. So much changes each off-season. Guys are away from each other and lose the locker room comradery. Some guys know they are coming back. Some guys aren’t sure if they will be asked back. Still others don’t know if they […]

Featured image via Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK