NY Jets’ OC favorite now feels like a lock after latest development

Aaron Glenn is beginning to put the pieces together for his first coaching staff as NY Jets head coach. He's already reportedly hired a defensive coordinator in Steve Wilks and a special teams coordinator in Chris Banjo. Next up: finding an offensive coordinator.

The Jets have reportedly been eyeing Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley from the start of their search. However, with the young Bill Belichick disciple garnering significant NFL interest, it seems increasingly likely that the Jets will be unable to land him.

The contingency plan appears to be Detroit Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, with all signs pointing to a union between the two in the near future. An Engstrand hire seems even more likely following a recent development with the Lions' coaching staff.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Thursday evening that the Lions have hired former Stanford head coach David Shaw to be their passing game coordinator. That would certainly suggest Engstrand has a new job lined up.

The NY Jets are expected to hire Tanner Engstrand as OC

A former college quarterback, Engstrand joined the Lions’ staff as an offensive assistant in 2020 and quickly emerged as one of Ben Johnson’s top protégés. Many expected him to follow Johnson to Chicago as offensive coordinator, but that move never materialized.

Engstrand was also passed up by Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who hired former Jets offensive coordinator John Morton for the same position in Detroit. While some might see that as a red flag, the Jets have every reason to be intrigued by Engstrand.

The California native has worked in a variety of roles with the Lions' offense and has experience calling plays as an offensive coordinator in the XFL with the DC Defenders and at the University of San Diego.

Engstrand not only has an obvious connection to Glenn given their Lions ties, but he was also a college teammate of Jets general manager Darren Mougey. Mougey, Engstrand, and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell all shared a quarterback room together at San Diego State in 2004.

With Shaw headed to Detroit to take Engstrand's job, all signs point to the Lions assistant becoming the next Jets offensive coordinator in the very near future. Barring any last-minute surprises, it seems like only a matter of time before the deal is finalized.

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