Jets has hired a head coach with a defensive background, but the offensive mind he brings with him could be the key to solving the team’s quarterback problem.
New head coach Robert Saleh is expected to bring Mike LaFleur with him from San Francisco to be his offensive coordinator. LaFleur, the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, was the 49ers coordinator.
LaFleur could be the person the Jets accuses of trying to get Sam Darnold back on track. The team has the decision to decide whether to try to change the 23-year-old defender he drafted in third place in 2018 and move on or try to save him.
Josh McCown, who played with Darnold in 2018 and stays close to him, believes Darnold could flourish in the LaFleur offense. LaFleur is expected to run a version of the Kyle Shanahan crime that is used in San Francisco and has become popular throughout the league.
“I think where Sam is in his development and how to reset and take stock of what he’s done in the last three years, but grow and move on, I think it’s the perfect system to do that,” McCown said. Friday. “It takes a little pressure off the great defender to become a big decision factor in the relegation game. It’s a heavyweight game and it plays action and action football, it’s good and easy football because you cheat and then it’s usually a 1-2-3 guy. There are not necessarily full field readings in action football. You can keep the defender’s eyes in one place and limit his options and help him play football better. ”
Shanahan’s crime dates back to Kyle’s father, Mike, who popularized it with the Broncos from 1995-2008. It relies heavily on area runs and the action game moves from the running game. Shanahan’s offense also has several throws and games to take the defender out of his pocket. The Jets actually ran a version of it in Darnold’s debut season, when Jeremy Bates was their offensive coordinator.
“[Darnold] he makes some great plays, but he also makes some poor decisions, ”McCown said. “I think when there is more out-of-pocket programming, when it is movement play, which I do so well, I think that will defeat some of that decision-making. It will give you better options. I think it will be better for him. ”
McCown, who finished the season with the Texans, said he watched many Jets games this year and saw Darnold fight.
“I think he pressed and tried to win every game with a single throw,” McCown said. “It simply came to our notice then. You hate that for him. I think the circumstances with the pressure on the coaching situation and everything I think forced him into a bad football. The best thing about Sam is that he takes ownership and will work to improve. “
McCown said the Jets should not give up on Darnold.
“I think given his level of talent and the kind of kid he has,” McCown said, “letting him go with a new offense would only be wise in terms of how much you believe in boys. that you hired ”.