Jets may land dream Steve Wilks replacement after latest Browns rumblings

The New York Jets are giving interim defensive coordinator Chris Harris a shot to prove he can be the main man in charge after the firing of Steve Wilks, but Aaron Glenn is not going to hand him that job until he does a thorough round of interviews in the offseason. One home-run candidate could become available, as his firing seems more likely than ever before.

While the Cleveland Browns have one of the league's worst offenses, no matter which quarterback is under center, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has built this unit into one of the best in the league. That masterful defensive mind may become available in short order.

Between ESPN Cleveland implying that Stefanski needs a "miracle" to keep his job, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic seemingly implying that it might be best if Stefanski and the Browns separated.

If Schwartz is not retained by whoever comes in to hypothetically replace Stefanski, the Jets should go all-in on bringing in the former Titans maestro to be the successor to Wilks. That hiring would help take this defense from unwatchable to a solid product almost overnight.

Jets could hire Browns DC Jim Schwartz if Browns fire Kevin Stefanski

Schwartz and the Browns lead the entire NFL in the percentage of man coverage plays run, which fits in well with a coach in Glenn that leaned heavily on that type of coverage in Detroit and is running the sixth-most man in the league this season. Schwartz, who has past head coach experience with the Lions, has developed a reputation for identifying talent.

Every layer of Cleveland's defense has talent worth writing home about. Even if superstar Myles Garrett is removed from the equation, Maliek Collins had a career year in 2025, and rookie Mason Graham looks like a keeper. Carson Schwesinger has become one of the AFC's best young linebackers, while Denzel Ward leads a secondary that is very tough to throw on.

Schwartz will be working with a much less talented defense if he arrives in New York, but with some savvy free agent spending and some quality drafting, Darren Mougey might be able to replenish the cupboards and give Schwartz enough pieces to work with.

Schwartz's combination of pedigree, recent success, and alignment makes him an ideal candidate for how Glenn wants to run his defense. While Stefanski will need to be fired for Schwartz to even become available, he can't be ruled out as a possibility.