Reporting live from New York Jets HQ in Florham Park, NJ—Last season, the New York Jets were so enamored with Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley that Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas promised each other they would get the player “no matter what” leading into the second day of the 2024 draft.
That excitement was short-lived.
The previous regime found no use for Corley’s talents, and the third-round pick wasted away on the inactive list for much of his rookie campaign.
Things aren’t getting any easier for Corley entering his second season. A new regime has no loyalty to him, and he has competition waiting for him once he hits the practice field again.
After head coach Aaron Glenn’s comments on Tuesday after OTAs, it is clear Corley has his work cut out for him.
Jets Address Malachi Corley’s Role
Nicknamed the “YAC King” for his ability to dominate with the ball in his hands, Corley rarely saw the field as a raw route-runner last season.
This year, a new offensive scheme not only requires him to learn a new playbook, but also work within a new quarterback’s skill set.
Despite the struggles that Corley saw last season, it is clear that Glenn believes the WKU product still has a future in the NFL – if the team can carve a role for him. Regarding Corley’s future as a pure wideout, Glenn did not make any promises.
“Here’s what I remember from Corley, his ability to get the ball in his hands and make something happen,” Glenn said. “And when you have a player like that, the first thing you think about is screens, you think about punt return, kick return, you think about things like that.”
There’s one problem with all this: Corley hasn’t been on the field at OTAs.
The 23-year-old has been dealing with injuries. He was out of the practice that was open to the media on Tuesday.
That is part of the reason for Glenn’s more ominous approach to the young wideout.
“Now, we have a ways to go to really try to figure out exactly where we’re going to place him, because he’s been in-and-out, that’s just what it is,” Glenn explained. “But there’s a plan for him, and we’re going to make sure that we try to utilize him to what he can do best, and we’ve seen that in college and hopefully he gets well soon, and we get a chance to utilize his skill set.”
Glenn and New York’s offensive coaching staff have consistently said that they would build an offensive scheme that fits their players. Every great coach in the league would do just that.
The problem with Corley is that all of his tape comes from college. He’s still a very raw prospect, and New York’s new regime has no loyalty to him as a player. He has to earn every bit of playing time he could receive.
And the more Corley has to sit out with injuries, the harder that will be for him.
It hasn’t been the easiest of starts to a career for the 65th overall pick from the 2024 draft. Things are about to get even harder for him this offseason.
