NY Jets news: Jeff Ulbrich HC opportunity, Patriots spoil draft plan, Breece Hall award snub

Jeff Ulbrich receiving a big opportunity
The Patriots may have spoiled their draft plans
Breece Hall award snub

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Jeff Ulbrich / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets' offensive coaching staff may not be held in high regard around the league, but the same can't be said about their defensive coaching staff. One coach in particular, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, is about to receive a significant opportunity.

Ulbrich was selected as the head coach of the National Team for the upcoming 2024 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama next month. The honor is usually given to rising assistants in the coaching world who are deemed ready to take the next step.

Despite the Jets' defensive dominance over the last couple of seasons, Ulbrich is somewhat surprisingly yet to receive a head coach interview with another team.

That's partially because he's often overshadowed by Robert Saleh, who receives most of the credit for the Jets' defensive success. This will be an opportunity for Ulbrich to step outside of Saleh's shadow.

Other NY Jets news

The Patriots may have spoiled their draft plans

New Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo faces a tall task rebuilding a New England roster that is among the least talented in the NFL. Fortunately for Mayo, his team will have an opportunity to add an instant-impact contributor with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Will the Patriots draft a quarterback? Will they instead opt for someone like Marvin Harrison Jr. or one of the top offensive tackles? Mayo seemed to tip his hand in a recent interview with CBS News Boston.

When asked about the Patriots' first-round pick this year, Mayo insisted his team was going to "draft the best player for a position that’s very important." He finished his statement by saying, "You put the pieces together," with a smirk.

It doesn't take much to read between the lines here. Unless Mayo was bluffing, the Patriots will be targeting a quarterback in the first round of the draft.

Breece Hall snubbed in award voting

What Breece Hall did in his first season back from a torn ACL in 2023 was nothing short of miraculous. The former second-round pick finished fourth in the entire NFL in scrimmage yards behind only Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyreek Hill.

He led all running backs with 76 catches for 591 yards in the air while also averaging a healthy 4.5 yards per carry despite dealing arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL and the league's worst quarterback play.

One would think that Hall would be the runaway favorite for Comeback Player of the Year with those numbers, but for whatever reason, he's not even in consideration for the award.

The four finalists for Comeback Player of the Year this season are Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

In any normal season, Hall would likely be the favorite for the award. Unfortunately, his team's lack of success likely does him no favors in the eyes of voters.

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.