Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the New York Jets, has disclosed that head coach Robert Saleh is taking a more hands-on approach with the offense.
Despite leading one of the NFL's 10 worst offenses in each of his three seasons at East Rutherford, averaging a mere 268 yards per game in 2023 following Rodgers' season-ending Achilles injury, Saleh is stepping up.
Rodgers told reporters on Tuesday: "I think Robert, to his credit, is taking a deeper role in the offense. As a defensive coach, he's been in that room a lot, but he's been kind of sitting over to the left of me a good amount of the offseason so far. So we appreciate his influence. He's brought some really good ideas to the table. He's added a lot of interesting stuff that you'll see throughout the OTAs and training camp, which I think would be pretty cool for us."
Saleh, a Northern Michigan graduate, began his coaching career at Michigan State before making his NFL debut with Houston in 2005. He was instrumental in creating one of the league's most formidable defenses in San Francisco starting in 2017. He accepted an offer to become the head coach of the New York Jets ahead of the 2021 season.
True to form, the Jets' defense has enjoyed a splendid turnaround under Saleh's tutelage. New York finished third last season in total defense, also ranking tied for third in interceptions, all with a young core headlined by sensational cornerback Sauce Gardner.
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This acclaimed defense, partnered with the acquisition of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers, left the Jets with the sixth-best Super Bowl odds entering the 2023 season, but Rodgers' aforementioned injury torpedoed these lofty goals and saw New York finish just 7-10.
Aaron Rodgers missed the entire 2023 season with injury (Getty Images)Saleh states that the goal is for the Jets to become "injury-proof" in a year that has become crucial for Saleh, who has two years remaining on his contract. In preparing for this season, Rodgers feels that Saleh and the Jets front office made another astute move this offseason in acquiring Malachi Corley, a wide receiver selected in the third round of the NFL Draft this offseason.
["He's] my favorite receiver in the draft," Rodgers said on the Official Jets Podcast. "Now, he might not have been the best on paper in the draft, but I really felt like he was going to fit in with what we're trying to do - his mindset, his ferocity."
A first glimpse at this Saleh-imprinted offensive is now on the horizon for Jets fans. New York will begin its preseason schedule August 10 against the Commanders and opens its regular-season slate against Saleh's former team, facing off against the 49ers in San Francisco for Sunday Night Football on September 9.
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