New York Jets: 2018 might be audition for Jeremy Bates

People are calling for the head of Todd Bowles. Are the New York Jets potentially preparing someone to take his place if things go south in 2018?

In 2014, the Houston Texans hired Bill O’Brien from Penn State to be their head coach. After three straight 9-7 seasons, they finally drafted a man they believe to be their franchise quarterback. Last season was the first season for Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. They got Jimmy Garoppolo via a trade.

Both teams believe they have the right combination of an offensive-minded head coach and franchise quarterback. There’s also something both coaches have in common. They’re both their respective franchises’ offensive coordinators. Could the New York Jets be on the verge of the same thing?

Let’s start by saying it’s too soon to prepare a eulogy for Todd Bowles as head coach. That said, the Jets may just be putting all their ducks in a row for a succession plan.

The name on everyone’s mind is John DeFilippo — the current Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator. This has a lot to do with the success of Carson Wentz. However, the Jets could have someone else in mind.

Shanahan had 14 years (seven as an offensive coordinator) as an NFL assistant before getting his first head coaching opportunity. On the other hand, O’Brien spent most of his coaching life in college. He had 14 years as a college assistant and head coach. He only spent five seasons as an NFL assistant with only one of them as a coordinator. DeFilippo is only in his second season as an offensive coordinator and 12th in the NFL.

Jeremy Bates is in his first year as an offensive coordinator, but he already has more NFL experience as an assistant than O’Brien. Bates is in his 10th season as an NFL assistant.

Bowles kept Bates as the quarterbacks coach in addition to promoting him to offensive coordinator, likely in order to develop a relationship between him and Sam Darnold. That said, he may have lined up the Jets with a succession plan.

Christopher Johnson told the media that there’s no playoff mandate for 2018, but if the Jets fall flat in 2018 or 2019, the Jets may look in a different direction. The Jets have put themselves in a situation where the best case scenario for the future of Darnold may be to hold onto Bates to see how that relationship develops. If they go a different direction than Bowles in 2019, it would mean Bates being promoted yet again but keeping his other roles.

Jets fans all over social media are calling for an offensive minded head coach. However, they may not get the coach they want, and the next coach must also be the offensive coordinator (if his background is offense). So, that means it may just end up being Bates.