Jets Get Mediocre Defensive Ranking Ahead Of Aaron Glenn's First Season As HC

Glenn will want to prove this ranking very wrong

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If there's one thing Aaron Glenn will take pride in as the New York Jets' head coach, it's defense.

Not only was Glenn a defensive coordinator before taking his first head coaching job, but he once played cornerback for the Jets himself. And this is a defense with talent at every level, so Glenn will want to show he can maximize his players' talents.

From Sauce Gardner to brothers Quinnen and Quincy Williams, there are plenty of stars for New York to depend on. And the Jets allowed the third-fewest yards per game in the NFL last season, so there's a good foundation to build upon even though the team went 5-12.

However, one NFL writer doesn't have an optimistic view of Glenn's first season.

On Tuesday, Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport ranked all 32 NFL defenses coming into the season, and put the Jets 22nd, thanks in large part to the loss of star cornerback D.J. Reed, who signed with Glenn's old team, the Detroit Lions.

"The Jets put as much effort into retaining their own players as they did others, resigning the likes of linebacker Jamien Sherwood. They also have homegrown stars like defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner," Davenport wrote.

"But swapping out D.J. Reed for Brandon Stephens at cornerback was a negative, and the team's young edge-rushers need to show they can turn the occasional hot streak into a consistently productive season."

Davenport is throwing down the gauntlet for Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald, who have flashed brilliance in their young careers but need to develop some consistency.

There are lots of kinks for Glenn and the Jets to work out, but most would agree that the ceiling for this group is a lot higher than the 22nd-best defense in the league. But there's no motivation like doubt from outsiders.

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