Amid their tweaks to the coaching staff, the New York Jets are reportedly pursuing a familiar face for their WR coach
The New York Jets are still looking to tweak their offensive coaching staff.
According to a report from Josina Anderson, the Jets are looking to add Panthers wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson to their staff in the same capacity. She also reported that the team has been “interested for quite some time” and hopes to finish the deal.
Meanwhile, I'm told things are heating up between #Panthers WRs coach Shawn Jefferson and the #Jets to have him join #NYJ in the same role very soon, per sources.
The Jets have been interested for quite some time, and are hoping to finish the deal for Jefferson. pic.twitter.com/IAxMiVq3ih
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 30, 2024
Jefferson is a familiar name for Jets fans who have been following the team for the past few seasons.
Under former head coach Adam Gase, Jefferson was the team’s assistant head coach and wide receivers coach. He managed a unit led by players like Robbie Chosen and Jamison Crowder.
After leaving New York, Jefferson became the wide receivers coach in Arizona from 2021 to 2022 before landing in Carolina.
It would be very interesting for Robert Saleh to bring back a coach who was a part of one of the worst Jets offenses in recent memory.
Additionally, the Panthers’ wide receivers were not exactly the standard at the position in 2023; the team had the fewest passing yards in the league and did not have an offensive touchdown in their final two games.
Despite his most recent season with the Panthers and his previous stint with the Jets, Jefferson would not automatically be a bad hire. As with any coach, it is unknown how much of the players’ production and development falls on his shoulders.
However, this potential hiring repeats a pattern of the Jets targeting coaches from teams that had poor offenses in 2023.
The possible additions targeted by New York have been lackluster at best, whether due to their insistence on hiring coaches they are familiar with or their inability to attract high-quality candidates due to the nature of the coaching staff being on the hot seat.
Improvement is essential for the Jets’ offense in 2024. While they seem to be exploring some changes to their offensive coaching staff, it is reasonable to question whether the coaches they are targeting would have any effect on the unit’s overall performance.
Pursing?