PALM BEACH, Fla. — In his hit song, ‘6 Foot 7 Foot,’ Lil Wayne says, “Real Gs move in silence like lasagna.”
Aaron Glenn has taken that line to heart during his first offseason as Jets coach after telling reporters it is no accident that they are having a quieter offseason compared to years past.
“It is by design,” Glenn said during the NFL Annual Meeting on Monday. “Look, I’m a huge believer in just moving in silence, and you know letting things play out like they need to play out. I think our staff has done a really good job with that.
“Just overall, just make the moves that we need to make. Listen, this doesn’t need to be a big hoopla of what we’re doing. We just want to go about our business and coach these players and try to create an atmosphere for the players that’s totally different, probably different than they’ve been used to. And that’s something I want to create just in general.
“I want to move in silence and just go about our business to win some games because you don’t win the offseason anyway. The only thing that makes a difference is what you do during the season.”
The previous 24 months have been a whirlwind for a Jets organization that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010 and had two consecutive disappointing seasons after the trade for Aaron Rodgers. In 2023, when they pursued Rodgers, the Jets were consistently in the national news and raised the organization’s expectations.
Before he was actually traded to the Jets, Rodgers said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that he intended to play for the Jets. This led to the signings of Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb and other moves rumored to appease the four-time NFL MVP.
After Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 opener and missed the rest of the season, the Jets had Super Bowl aspirations entering 2024. In addition to those moves, the Jets also acquired Davante Adams in a trade with the Raiders last October.
But they finished 5-12, leading to the eventual firings of coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas mid-last season.
The Jets also eventually released Rodgers after Glenn and Darren Mougey were hired as coach and general manager. During his introductory press conference, Glenn said they would discuss bringing back Rodgers, but ultimately, they decided to move on.
“I know who I am and I know what I want to do,” Glenn said when asked if the noise around Rodgers led to his release. “Regardless of how any person is, it has nothing to do with me.
“I know what I want to do. So, that doesn’t matter to me.”
Glenn and the Jets have a new quarterback after they signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract earlier this month, with $30 million guaranteed. The type of commitment the Jets gave Fields indicated that he will be the Jets’ starting quarterback in 2025. But that was not publicly said until Sunday when Moogey told reporters that Fields is indeed the team’s starter.
However, Glenn stated that with every position on the team, there’s going to be competition.
“This team is going to be built on competition,” Glenn said. “Just because you’re one on the depth chart, that’s written in pencil. This league is about competition and the elite athletes thrive on that.
“Just because he’s quarterback one, does not mean Tyrod [Taylor] is not going to be on his heels. Everybody has to have a depth chart, but it’s going to be competition. He knows that, Tyrod knows that and that’s across the board.”
Depending on how Fields performs next season, the Jets could be in the market for a quarterback next offseason. However, they appear confident that Fields could be a long-term solution at quarterback.
In recent years, quarterbacks like Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield have become reclamation projects after failing stints with the teams that drafted them.
The Jets will be Fields’ third team in the NFL. He was drafted by the Bears 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Steelers last offseason after struggling in his first three seasons in Chicago, where he was 10-28 as a starter, and threw for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions.
After Russell Wilson injured his calf last preseason, Fields briefly was the Steelers’ starting quarterback, leading them to a 4-2 record. Not known for his passing ability, Fields recorded his highest completion percentage of his career last season (65.8%), throwing 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in 10 games (six starts).
The Jets are also intrigued by Fields’ ability to use his legs to create explosive plays. In four seasons, he has registered 2,509 yards and 19 touchdowns.
But the Jets saw enough promise in Fields, 26, to sign him and believe he has only scratched the surface of his potential.
“I think he’s a dynamic player,” Glenn said. “I think there’s more that we can get out of that player and I’m looking forward to that.”
