Ranking The Vacant NFL Head Coaching Jobs

4. New York Jets

Unlike the Falcons and Bears, the New York Jets have absolutely nothing on offense and that will be what gives any candidates pause about taking the job. Now-former general manager John Idzik basically ignored developing the offensive side of the ball and now-former head coach Rex Ryan didn’t help matters.

Whoever the Jets hire needs to immediately end the Geno Smith experiment and pick a new direction at quarterback. He will have to deal with having Eric Decker – who is a solid No. 2 receiver being paid like a No. 1 – and Percy Harvin – an oft-injured special package player being paid like a No. 1 receiver – and a crumbling offensive line. Other than Nick Mangold there isn’t anyone on New York’s offensive line I would retain. The offense as a whole needs a complete makeover.

Defensively, the Jets have pieces to build around, like defensive linemen Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson. Leading tackler David Harris is headed for free agency, the team needs to sign some veteran cornerbacks and safety Dawan Landry is a major liability. That said, there is talent on the defensive side of the ball and the unit only allowed 327.2 yards per game this year, which ranked sixth league-wide.

The Jets do bring with them the lure of New York, which has always been a draw for some guys. It’s also not hard to find free agents who want to play in The Big Apple. The Jets play in a relatively new facility and have a rabid fanbase. Someone who can win there would quickly turn into a local hero. It shouldn’t be hard to find someone willing to take the job.

Next: Oakland Raiders