A teacher at heart, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn knows the only football grades that matter are the ones awarded in the regular season and playoffs. After navigating the first couple of waves in free agency with GM Darren Mougey, Glenn has prioritized substance over style.
"It is by design," he told reporters Monday at the NFL League Meetings in Palm Beach, FL. "Listen, I'm just a huge believer in just moving in silence and you let things play out the way they need to play out. I think our staff has done a really good job of that just overall. Let's just make the moves we need to make. This doesn't need to be a big hoopla with what we're doing.
"We're just going to go about our business and coach these players and try to create an atmosphere for the players that's totally different than what they've probably been used to. And that's something I want to create just in general. What type of players we bring in the building and the building environment for the most part, but we want to move in silence man and just go about our business and go win some games. You don't win in the offseason anyway. I know everybody has these grades in free agency, they have draft grades and when you go back and look at them – it don't really mean crap. The only thing that makes a difference is what you do during the season."
In addition to re-signing LB Jamien Sherwood, DB Isaiah Oliver and RB-KR Kene Nwangwu, the Jets primarily worked on their depth in free agency with the exceptions being QB Justin Fields, CB Brandon Stephens and S Andre Cisco.
"Culture is about people," Glenn said. "And as we continue to get the right people within the building, the culture is going to change. That's something I learned a long time ago. Me sitting up there giving a rah-rah speech, that has nothing do with coaching. … Coaching is about the people we bring in the building. I'm just not talking about players. I'm talking about coaches too; I'm talking about support staff too. We're trying to do a really good job of bringing the right people in the building and as we do that the culture will eventually change."
The Jets have focused on a youth movement and only 5 players on their roster are 30-plus years. The Jets also own eight selections, at present, in April's draft including the No. 7 overall pick and three selections in the top 73.
"If the player goes out there in practice and he deserves to play – let him play," Glenn said of his philosophy. "And there's going to be a mistake, I'm talking about a young player because I said before it's a young man's game. You can't be afraid to play a young player, so if he goes out there and he competes and he earns that job – you let him play. But every player doesn't do that. There are some players who don't earn the job right away and obviously you want that player to sit back and learn but to me I have that type of mindset going in. Go out there and complete and whoever the best player is – that's who's going to play no matter what. If they're not, then they'll sit back and learn. But at some point, you want to go out there and play. But if he gets the job, he's going to play."
Glenn, who chose veteran DC Steve Wilkes, and first-year coordinators Tanner Engstrand and Chris Banjo to head the offensive and special teams units, respectively, is emphasizing development with his staff. Still more than five months out from the start of the regular season, class will be in session at 1 Jets Drive once the offseason program commences on April 7. The Jets' teacher is embracing the challenge ahead.
"That's the No.1 trait you look for in a coach – No. 1 is being able to teach and No. 2 is being able to develop," Glenn said. "I talked to our staff and am like, listen I want free agents to play like draft picks. I want our third-round picks to play like first-round picks. I want our first-round picks to wear a gold [Hall of Fame] jacket at some point and that's the job of coaches. I hold that to a very high standard in every coach that I have and that's one of the things I vet up on every coach is how are they developing and really that's what coaching is – teaching and developing. Every player that we have is not going to be ready-made and that's okay, but we look forward to that."
