Remaking the New York Jets' Defense

After firing coach Eric Mangini, some speculated the Jets would opt for an offense-first coach as his replacement. The organization hired four consecutive coaches with a primarily defensive background, suggesting change was in the wind.

That's until GM Mike Tannenbaum tapped one of the league's brightest defensive minds to lead Gang Green: Rex Ryan. He enters Florham Park having spent the past four seasons as the Ravens' defensive coordinator. His father, Buddy Ryan, is known for leading perhaps the best defense in NFL history, the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Like Mangini, Ryan comes from a primary 3-4 defensive background, and the Jets will retain their base system. Although his father used the 46 defensive style to great success, Ryan is expected to stick with the 3-4.

Based on his background in Baltimore, Ryan is known for aggressively attacking the opposing offense. He is credited with properly utilizing and developing linebackers including Ray Lewis, Adalius Thomas, Terrell Suggs, and Jarrett Johnson.

The Ravens defense is characterized by its pride and sometimes stubborn attitude towards coaches, but the unit exhibited an almost fanatical devotion towards Ryan.

Making the transition easier for Ryan is the arrival of free agent linebacker Bart Scott. Last season, he finished up with 82 tackles for the Ravens, and has been one of the stalwarts of that defense. Scott teams with promising third-year linebacker David Harris as the two inside linebackers for Gang Green.

Ryan's offseason comments indicate his focus is less on schemes and systems, and more on using his talent the best way possible. Most of the starters on defense return from a pretty strong 2008 unit. Ryan is lucky to have stalwarts like defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, cornerback Darrelle Revis, and safety Kerry Rhodes.

Two big questions face the new coach in his first season in leading an NFL team: how to put pressure on the quarterback and defend the pass. In 2008, the Jets allowed nearly 3,800 passing yards. The team struggled with multiple-wide receiver sets and routinely let quarterbacks lead their offense up and down the field.

Shaun Ellis led the defense in sacks with eight, while new acquisition Calvin Pace had seven sacks off the edge. Most of the pressure came early in the season, and the Jets found themselves struggling to reach the quarterback by December.

Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine have promised to be aggressive in rushing the passer. Based on their experience with the Ravens, the Jets will use a variety of blitz packages off the edge and up the middle with Scott and Harris.

The biggest unknown is second-year linebacker Vernon Gholston. The former sixth overall pick spent 2008 largely on the bench, and even was inactive for a couple of games. Ryan has promised to make Gholston his personal project.

If the coach is able to turn around Gholston around, he could potentially solve all the questions surrounding the Jets pass rush. No player on the defensive roster has the combination of strength and speed that Gholston possesses.

In terms of the pass defense, Ryan likes intelligence more than raw talent in his secondary. Ed Reed and Jim Leonhard were not the most physically talented safeties for the Ravens, but combined to be perhaps the best tandem in the NFL.

In the offseason, the Jets signed Leonhard to start opposite Kerry Rhodes. During the free agency period, Gang Green also traded for former Eagles starting cornerback Lito Sheppard. Thus, Ryan and Pettine will be able to rely on more depth and star power in the secondary.

The starting foursome of Revis, Sheppard, Rhodes and Leonhard could form the Jets' best secondary in decades. Due to the 3-4 scheme and aggressive blitzes, Ryan requires the defensive backs to play within the system and not make mistakes.

Overall, Ryan and his new defensive coordinator, Pettine, are not expected to make revolutionary changes to the defense. They will still employ the same 3-4 anchored by Jenkins at nosetackle.

The big changes for the team will include far more aggressiveness in blitzing, and a requirement for the defensive backs to play solid and not be deviate from assignments.