Would Rex Ryan make sense as defensive coordinator of Jets?

With many changes coming to the New York Jets this upcoming offseason, would the return of Rex Ryan as their defensive coordinator actually make sense?

As head coach Rex Ryan is on the hot seat with the Buffalo Bills, at any given moment he will more than likely be fired. It’s a sad state of news since there is no questioning Ryan’s incredible defensive mind but at the end of it all, he simply hasn’t had the kind of success the Bills have wanted since they acquired him. Could the New York Jets see a reunion with their ex-head coach but in a role that actually makes sense?

In the NFL, anything can truly happen. Considering how bad the overall defense has been with the Jets, it would be shocking for them to keep defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers around after this season is over. The Jets have some major talent on their defensive line but a lack of execution, sacks, and an overall pass rush has made the entire group underwhelm. Even their defensive secondary is a complete disaster and is in need of younger talent with top-notch coaching overseeing it all.

Should the Jets alleviate Rodgers from his defensive coordinator duties, it would make sense to bring Ryan back into the mix to replace him. It’s no secret that Ryan’s greatest success as a head coach came during his tenure with the Jets but sometimes, not everyone is meant to be a head coach.

Ryan is more of a defensive mastermind than anything and one of the biggest reasons why he has failed as a head coach is his lack of knowledge, preparation, and understanding on offense. Sure, he hired his own coaches to handle all those responsibilities on offense but since he’s not 100 percent familiar with it completely, he’s always going to be at a big disadvantage.

It would be in the best interests of Ryan to possibly consider going back to his championship roots as a defensive coordinator. Back in 2000, Ryan was one of the main reasons the Baltimore Ravens had considered to field one of the greatest defenses ever straight to a championship in Super Bowl XXXV.

Since the Jets have some major decisions to make regarding how their overall defense and coaching staff will look come next season, bringing Ryan back to be their new defensive coordinator would work well in the grand scheme of things. Both sides could bury the hatchet on how bad things ended just a few years ago.

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Ryan, no matter what he might say or do, will always have a special place in his heart and football career for the Jets. He took this team to two straight AFC Championship Games and was always a fiery and passionate leader on the sideline. Taking a step back would undoubtedly be good for both sides if he was willing to return as a defensive coordinator to once again do what made him famous.

Overall, Ryan would easily be an upgrade over Rodgers and would be exactly what this team needs to fix their defensive woes. His ability to maximize a defense to reach its true potential is exactly what the Jets need to rebound next year and beyond.

Hopefully, both sides would be willing for something to come to fruition since, by the looks of it, not many premier candidates at defensive coordinator are set to hit the open market that would bring to the table what Ryan could. His experience, ability to connect with his players, and vast knowledge on how to make a defense among the best in the league would be a fantastic asset to have on the Jets.