Jets insider reveals perfect DC candidate who fits Aaron Glenn's vision

The New York Jets' miserable 2025 season has finally come to a close, and the focus now shifts to the offseason. It was a season where everything that could've gone wrong did go wrong for Aaron Glenn's Jets.

One of the biggest weaknesses throughout the season was the defense, which ultimately led to the dismissal of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with three games remaining. New York finished 25th in total defense, 29th against the run, 31st in scoring defense, and 30th in EPA per play.

The Jets also surrendered 188 points in the final five games of the season, averaging 37.6 points per game allowed over that stretch. This helped fuel the Jets to become the first team in NFL history to lose five straight games by at least 23 points.

Simply put, the Jets put a historically bad team and defense on the field in 2025. The focus now shifts to finding a new defensive coordinator who will be tasked with turning this unit around.

During an episode of Jets Final Drive, SNY's Connor Hughes made it clear who he thinks the Jets should target as their next defensive coordinator.

Hughes called Wink Martindale a "perfect" fit for the Jets while considering him a "culture changer" for the defense.

Wink Martindale could be the perfect hire for Jets' defensive coordinator

Since the firing of Steve Wilks and the struggles that New York has gone through this season, Aaron Glenn has talked a lot about finding a defensive coordinator who fits his style. That style is someone who is going to be aggressive and run a high-risk, high-reward type of defense.

The Jets hit historical lows in 2025 when it came to forcing turnovers. New York finished with just four total turnovers, which is the lowest by any team in NFL history, breaking the previous record of seven set by the 2018 San Francisco 49ers.

The Jets also became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception since the NFL began tracking interceptions in 1933. They finished with a league-worst -19 turnover differential.

Another major weakness for the Jets this season was getting home to the quarterback and not having success when they blitzed. The Jets finished tied for 11th in blitz rate, but finished last in pressures and 31st in sacks.

Wilks and even Chris Harris weren't afraid to blitz and send pressure, but schematically, the Jets were at a disadvantage, and high-end opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators took advantage of that.

When looking at Wink Martindale, he is as aggressive as they come, and unlike the Jets in 2025, Martindale's aggressiveness has paid off.

When looking at Martindale's most recent NFL stop with the Giants, where he spent two seasons from 2022 to 2023, his successful aggressive tendencies were on full display.

In 2022, Martindale blitzed 39.7% of the time, which led the NFL. The Giants finished eighth in pressures and 13th in sacks. The veteran coordinator followed that season up with similar production in 2023.

The Giants finished the 2023 season second in blitz rate at 45.4%. Big Blue's 31 turnovers forced that season led the NFC and were tied for the league lead.

Martindale was able to do this despite having limited talent to work with. His ability to maximize the talent he has with his exotic and creative schemes has been on full display, going back to his time with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Jets' biggest weaknesses in 2025 are areas where Martindale has thrived in throughout his NFL career. As Connor Hughes also mentioned, he won't come cheap, and this would be a major move for Aaron Glenn and the Jets to make, pushing their chips in the center, hoping Martindale's impact can pay off.