Entering his fourth year as the New York Jets head coach, Todd Bowles is in a position in where he’s obligated to take this team to the next level. Christopher Johnson handed Bowles a two year extension after seeing significant improvements on a roster that was thought by many as being at best mediocre in this leagues standards.
After finishing 10-6 in his first year at the helm, Bowles was thought to be the answer after the erratic Rex Ryan era. With many aging veterans and a lack of stability at the quarterback position, Bowles and Macagnnan were forced to start from scratch and develop a team that fit their philosophy and objectives.
The New York Jets building blocks:
With building blocks including Leonard Williams, Jamal Adams, Marcus Maye and this year’s first rounder, Sam Darnold, the Jets have positioned themselves in becoming a threat in the AFC for years to come. Aside from the core nucleus, Macagnnan has provided Bowles with enough cap space to mix and match his pieces on both sides of the ball ( $20 million in 2018 & $87 million in 2019).
With incoming free agents such as Trumaine Johnson and Avery Williamson on defense and Spencer Long and Isaiah Crowell on the offensive side of the team, the Jets are bound to become a force to be reckoned with. With all the optimism surrounding Gang Green this upcoming season, a major red flag still presents itself. Todd Bowles needs to prove that he can mesh well with his new offensive coordinator, Jeremy Bates. Bates is the third offensive coordinator in as many years for the Jets, which raises concerns on how much Bowles should involve himself in the play-making calls on the offensive end.
Todd’s forte has always been on the defensive side, which can go back to the days of being the assistant coach of the year in 2014 as the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator. He has a knack to highlight players strengths, while minimizing their weaknesses which coincide with his aggressive play calling.
The only problem is that these traits have not reached its full potential on the offensive side of the ball. In my opinion, coach Bowles needs to allow Jeremy Bates to run the show with minimal supervision when it comes to the playmaking on offense. All in all, Todd Bowles as well as Mike Macagnnan are on the right path in making this team a fearsome force for years to come.
With Tom Brady nearing his final years as a player, the opportunity to take the reigns of the AFC East has never presented itself so clearly than it has now. The influx of young talent the Jets possess with the foundation set in place in the organization itself in the ability to develop and getting productivity out of its players should allow Coach Todd Bowles to take a giant leap in the AFC.