Chan Gailey: Good News for the New York Jets Offense

Dec 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws a pass in the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Jets defeated Miami 37-24. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

For the past five years or so, the Jets offense has struggled mightily. No matter who was at offensive coordinator, the Jets offense seemed to always finish towards the bottom of the league in all offensive categories.

While nothing is official yet, all arrows point to Chan Gailey becoming the new offensive coordinator for the Jets in 2015. Gailey most recently coached with the Buffalo Bills. Unlike Marty Mornhinweg, I feel that Chan Gailey is a perfect fit for quarterback Geno Smith. Some classify Gailey’s offense as a ” Spread” style of offense, which is very similar to what Smith ran in college at West Virginia. While Smith has undoubtedly struggled in his fist two seasons in the NFL, Gailey could be the perfect offensive coordinator to help Geno take the next step and improve in all areas of his game.

Next: Percy Harvin

Dec 21, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Percy Harvin (16) fields a kick off in the first quarter against the New England Patriots during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Like Geno Smith, another guy who would excel in Gailey’s offense is wide receiver Percy Harvin. Gailey does an excellent job of getting the ball into the hands of his playmakers, which is exactly what Harvin is. Although he only had one touchdown as a Jet last season after he was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks, Harvin showed playmaking ability, and added an element to the Jets offense that they had been missing for the last few seasons. Once the ball gets in Harvin’s hands, he is a nightmare to tackle in space. Look for Harvin to thrive under the play calling of Gailey.

Next: Jace Amaro

Nov 24, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Jets tight end Jace Amaro (88) against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

In 2014, Jets second round draft pick Jace Amaro was incredibly underused. While he did struggle with drops at times, he was clearly the best tight end on the roster. Amaro is a matchup nightmare for any linebacker or safety due to his size and strength. Under Gailey, look for the young tight end to really thrive. With so much attention being drawn to wide receivers Eric Decker and Percy Harvin, Amaro will have many favorable matchups in the middle of the field.

Next: Chris Ivory

While this player may not be greatly impacted by Gailey directly, this player will definitely benefit from the success of his teammates. This player is running back Chris Ivory. Since the Jets offense struggled as a whole in 2014, especially in the passing game, it was tough for Chris Ivory to really succeed on a week to week basis. If the offense thrives under Gailey, the defense will not be able to focus solely on stopping the run, which will give Ivory many more opportunities to break off a long gain.