This is one in a series of articles that will also appear in the New York Jets 2024 Yearbook, which will be published later this summer.
The Jets offense is again led by Nathaniel Hackett, entering his second season as the unit's coordinator.
That unit was blindsided four plays into last season when QB Aaron Rodgers, who won two MVPs and threw for 85 touchdowns and nine interceptions while Hackett was the OC in Green Bay, ruptured his left Achilles tendon.
"Every single year you learn so many different things," Hackett said. "We have to always be ready for a lot of changes. I think that was one of the biggest things last year — we faced a lot of change. When I look back on it, it was a great opportunity for a lot of guys to get some valuable experience to create more depth for this year, so I think those were a lot of good things."
Hackett has more at his disposal for the coming season: a big-play receiver in Mike Williams to pair with back-to-back 1,000-yard wideout Garrett Wilson, for instance, and a veteran backup signal-caller in Tyrod Taylor. But the OC's focus is on continuity along his new-look offensive line, anchored by LT Tyron Smith and RT Morgan Moses.
"As the season goes on, the healthiest teams are usually hitting their stride and doing very well," Hackett said of his line. "You have to always plan for that, so the more you can mix and match them just for those instances is very important. But at the same time, the longer you can keep the front five going together, it's always going to build a strong bond."
General manager Joe Douglas added some highly touted offensive players and supplemented them in the draft with T Olu Fashanu and WR Malachi Corley, while head coach Robert Saleh made changes to the offensive coaching staff. He brought in WRs coach Shawn Jefferson and RBs coach Tony Dews after the unit finished No. 31 in the NFL in total yards per game while starting four quarterbacks.
"You're always going to try to fix things," Saleh said. "You look at the two guys that we brought in with Shawn and Tony, two guys who have been in the league for a while, who have worked with a lot of different players. And I just felt like bringing in different personalities will bring a different dynamic to that room. We're always going to try to evolve and find ways to get better."
