The New York Jets Are Giving Unknowns Their Shot

With a few exceptions, such as Chan Gailey (OC), Bobby April (ST), and Pepper Johnson (DL), the New York Jets coaching staff and front office is filled with first-timers. Before two weeks ago, would you recognize the names Kacy Rodgers (DC), Kevin Patullo (QB), Marcel Shipp (RB), Karl Dorrell (WR), or Robbie Brown (QC)? Had you heard of Rex Hogan (Director of College Scouting) or Brian Heimerdinger (Director of Player Personnel)? Most likely not.

Now, to be fair, most fans just don't know assistant coaches and members of the front office because their work is mostly behind the scenes. However, in this case, there are a number of new members of the team that are doing this for the first time. Rodgers was a defensive line coach previously. Patullo was an assistant wide receivers coach. Shipp is a former player. Heimerdinger is just 28 years old. It goes on.

Jets officially name Brian Heimerdinger director of player personnel. At 28, one of the youngest evaluators ever in that kind of position.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 27, 2015

This is somewhat interesting to me. The team seems to be giving a lot of these unknown guys their shot. For the most part, they aren't bringing in retreads. Obviously, there's risk in this. There's no proven track record, and you're praying that Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles are just great evaluators of untapped talent, that they can see a bright future before anyone else. There's also upside. If they're right, you can get a young, dynamic staff. As Gailey has previously said:

At his introductory news conference, Chan Gailey warned Buffalo Bills fans he probably wouldn't hire many assistants they'd heard of.

He wasn't lying.

"Right now we are happy with the coaches that we have been able to get on the staff," Gailey said in a statement released by the Bills. "Ultimately, we want to make sure we get the right guys: great teachers, great communicators and the right kind of people for the Bills. These coaches give us a great start in that direction."

As I said, there's great risk. There's also great upside to hiring coaches like this. What do you think of the Jets hires so far?