NY Jets news: Derek Carr visit goes very well, Jets hire another coach

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Derek Carr / Jane Gershovich/GettyImages

The NY Jets concluded their official visit with Derek Carr this weekend, and by all accounts, the meeting went about as well as anyone could have imagined.

The Jets came away without any concerns about how Carr would fit in New York and the Jets' system, and Carr reportedly "hit it off" with Robert Saleh and the Jets' staff. All in all, both sides were very pleased with the visit.

NFL Network's Mike Garafalo reported that the visit resulted in "rave reviews" from both sides and Carr's own brother, David, supported that notion. It's hard to imagine an official visit producing better results.

Carr will take his time and do his due diligence, as will the Jets — mostly as it pertains to Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers isn't available, it seems as though the Jets and Carr have a mutual interest in getting a deal done.

Other NY Jets news

Jets hire a new WR coach

The final piece of the Jets' offensive staff was added on Monday as the team reportedly hired Denver Broncos wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni to fill the same role in Florham Park.

Azzanni has spent the last five seasons as Denver's wide receivers coach, helping develop the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick. He previously spent a year with the Chicago Bears in 2017 in the same role.

Azzanni, of course, has history with Nathaniel Hackett as the two worked together with the Broncos last season. Aside from that one year with Hackett, however, he doesn't have any prior experience with the Jets' staff.

The departure of Miles Austin left a vacancy that Azzanni will fill. The Jets' coaching staff should now be complete ahead of the 2023 season.

Former Jets safety Jim Leonhard a candidate for the Eagles DC job

Former Jets safety Jim Leonhard only spent three years with the organization, but most fans remember the hard-hitting safety's time in New York fondly. Leonhard retired from the NFL in 2015, and he's since found a new life as a coach.

The 10-year NFL veteran began his coaching career as a defensive backs coach at his alma mater, Wisconsin, before being promoted to defensive coordinator in just his second year as a coach in 2017.

Leonhard has quickly become one of the fastest-rising assistants in the coaching world, and he was even named Wisconsin's interim head coach in 2022 following the firing of Paul Chryst.

Now, Leonhard is a candidate for the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator position as the team reportedly interviewed him on Monday. Leonhard might be making a return to the NFL as a coach next season.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.