Jets' Wink Martindale plans suddenly look shaky after latest DC update

Plans can change quickly in the NFL. The New York Jets have seemed to be on the verge of hiring longtime NFL assistant Wink Martindale to be their next defensive coordinator for days. But as the hours and days have progressed, the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.

So, what gives? Is Martindale still the favorite for the job? The answer to that might be more complicated than it was some 48 hours ago.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported on Monday that while Martindale "was viewed as a top contender headed into Saturday's meeting," it appears as though "he's necessarily a lock to get the job."

Aaron Glenn is reportedly still "sorting through how he wants the staff/structure to look." According to Rosenblatt, "the search is still underway and multiple candidates are being looked at."

That’s a noticeable shift from the reports that surfaced around Martindale over the weekend. All of a sudden, the Jets’ defensive coordinator search doesn’t feel nearly as settled.

The Jets may not hire Wink Martindale as their defensive coordinator after all

Martindale has been the presumed favorite for the Jets' defensive coordinator job for weeks at this point. The former Ravens and Giants defensive coordinator fits the mold of what Glenn and the Jets seem to be seeking.

Still, the fact that Martindale met with the Jets on Saturday and nearly three days have passed without a reported deal certainly suggests things have shifted, especially after ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported that he expected the situation to be resolved within 24 hours.

That report surfaced on Saturday. It’s now Tuesday, and more recent updates suggest Martindale is a less certain — and potentially less likely — option at this stage.

Some of the other candidates the Jets interviewed are no longer available. Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones accepted a defensive coordinator job with the Washington Commanders on Monday night, while Jim O’Neil also agreed to return to the Detroit Lions as a defensive assistant.

SNY's Connor Hughes also reported on Monday that interim defensive coordinator Chris Harris is not expected to be in the running for the job. That doesn't leave the Jets with many options.

One possible candidate could be Denver Broncos assistant head coach Jim Leonhard, who remains a favorite among Jets fans. Leonhard was in the mix for DC jobs in Green Bay and with the Giants, but both of those teams opted to go in different directions.

The former Jets safety did interview with the team earlier this month, but it seems unlikely he would choose to leave a favorable situation in Denver for what could amount to a one-year audition on a perceived lame-duck coaching staff.

Either way, the Jets’ defensive coordinator search feels far less settled than it did just a few days ago. Martindale remains very much in the conversation, but he no longer appears to be the sure thing he was believed to be over the weekend.