MOBILE, Ala. — Nearly a month after their season ended, the Jets are making a change in the front office.
The Jets and assistant general manager Rex Hogan have mutually agreed to part ways, according to sources.
Hogan has been with the organization since 2019, when he was hired to help general manager Joe Douglas with the day-to-day operations of the player personnel department. He also oversaw the college and pro scouting departments and worked on personnel evaluations.
Before his time with the Jets, Hogan spent two seasons (2017-18) as the vice president of player personnel with the Indianapolis Colts.
While the Jets had a banner draft in 2022 when they selected wide receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerback Sauce Gardner, running back Breece Hall and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, Gang Green has missed on several picks while Hogan and Douglas have been in charge of the front office.
In 2020, the Jets selected tackle Mekhi Becton 11th overall. He has started 16 games in four years due to multiple knee injuries. Becton also struggled on the field in 2023, allowing 12 sacks and committing 18 penalties. Becton will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
Then there’s quarterback Zach Wilson, who the Jets selected at No. 2 overall during the 2021 NFL Draft. He was expected to be the Jets’ franchise quarterback, but Wilson’s poor play was the reason behind the acquisition of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers last offseason.
In 34 games, Wilson has passed for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He was supposed to be Gang Green’s backup quarterback in 2023, but Wilson started 11 games after Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the Jets’ season opener against the Bills on Sept. 11.
The Jets are expected to trade Wilson this offseason (2024 is the final year of his contract) instead of picking up his fifth-year option for 2025 at $23 million, fully guaranteed.
Gang Green also selected wide receivers Denzel Mims (2020) and Elijah Moore (2021), while Douglas and Hogan have been in the front office, but neither player is currently on the roster.
Douglas, Hogan and Jets coach Robert Saleh have received a lot of heat the last two years for fielding one of the worst offenses in the NFL. In 2022, the Jets finished 25th in yards (318.2) and 29th in points per game (17.4). Last season, Gang Green’s offense managed to be even worse. The team was next to last in yards (268.2) and 29th in points per game (15.8).
Meanwhile, the Jets defense has been one of the best in the league during that same span. In 2022, they finished fourth in yards (311.1) and points allowed (18.6). Gang Green ended the 2023 campaign third in yards (292.3) and 12th in points given up (20.9).
The Jets’ offensive line has also been an issue the last couple of seasons. In 2022, 11 different players made starts on the line. Last season, the Jets used 14 different offensive line combinations in 17 games, which led the league.
Gang Green is widely expected to select a tackle with the 10th selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jets representatives are down in Mobile for the Senior Bowl this week.
Hogan spoke to reporters during last year’s Senior Bowl. Neither he nor Douglas were made available to reporters this week.
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is coaching the Senior Bowl National Team.
“It’s a blast,” Ulbrich said Tuesday about coaching in the Senior Bowl. “I was saying to these guys earlier, you get so twisted up because you hear about college football all the time and just the environment that’s being created because of the NIL, because of the transfer portal and all that.
“You start to make some judgments based upon that about how these kids are going to respond to you. Then you get out here and they’re awesome. Nothing has changed, these kids are just as eager, just as hungry, just as respectful. Once we got out here with the kids, it’s been a blast.”
