NY Jets: The defensive line has a chance to be elite in 2021

The Robert Saleh effect

None of this is to mention the man who will now be coaching them, new head coach Robert Saleh. Saleh thrived as a defensive coordinator in San Francisco and was widely praised for his handling of the team's front-seven.

He transformed Arik Armstead from a first-round bust into one of the best defensive linemen in football after implementing the Wide 9 scheme alongside defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.

He took a somewhat raw talent in DeForest Buckner and turned him into a top-three defensive tackle in the NFL in a very short time. And his work with players like Ronald Blair, D.J. Jones, and even Kerry Hyder oftentimes gets overlooked.

Saleh has a history of maximizing the talent of his front-four. The 49ers boasted a dominant defensive line under Saleh. The Jets have the talent to be just productive up front.

This isn't hyperbole. It isn't blind optimism. The NY Jets have the potential to field one of the best defensive lines in football in 2021.

The pieces are there. Now, it's all about navigating the puzzle.