After days of deliberation, the Jets have finally made a decision on offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who will not be retained, ending his two-year run in East Rutherford. LaFleur’s departure was framed by Ian Rapoport as a “mutual parting,” though his fate was essentially sealed once the Jets were eliminated, extending the league’s longest active playoff drought to 12 seasons.
A protégé of Kyle Shanahan, serving on his staffs in Cleveland, Atlanta and San Francisco before following Robert Saleh to the Big Apple in 2021, LaFleur’s offense evaporated down the stretch, averaging an anemic 11 points over their final six games, a stretch that included losses to Minnesota, Buffalo, Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle and Miami. LaFleur, whose older brother Matt serves as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, had little success developing Zach Wilson, recently admitting the former second overall pick would have benefited from playing behind a veteran starter, just as Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers did early in their careers.
It's debatable whether LaFleur deserved to be the scapegoat for New York’s late-season collapse, though his dismissal shines a burning-hot light on Saleh, who enters a make-or-break year that could determine his Jets future. The same could be said of Wilson, likely needing a bounce-back 2023 to preserve his roster spot. Of course, that’s assuming the Jets don’t pursue a veteran like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo, both of whom are expected to be available this offseason.
Despite a lackluster finish, the Jets’ offense is plenty well-stocked in the skill department, boasting a 1,000-yard receiver in Garrett Wilson along with fellow rookie Breece Hall, who had established himself as New York’s clear workhorse before succumbing to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 7. In missing the playoffs, the Jets squandered one of the league’s top defenses, allowing the fourth-fewest points (18.6) and fourth-fewest yards per game (311.1) with Quinnen Williams, C.J. Mosley and presumptive Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner all named as Pro Bowl selections.
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