The Jets have one spot open on their coaching staff, the quarterbacks coach job. Albert Breer reports the team has somebody in mind.
Per sources, the Jets are targeting ex-Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates to be their new quarterbacks coach.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 6, 2017
Around a decade ago the 40 year old Bates was considered an up and comer working under Mike Shanahan in Denver. After Shanahan was let go, he moved to USC for a year, working with new Jets offensive coordinator John Morton.
Bates followed Pete Carroll to the Seahawks as offensive coordinator but was fired after one year. He landed with the Bears for one year in 2012 but was not retained when Lovie Smith was fired. He hasn’t coached for a team since that 2012 season.
It is not necessarily significant, but it is worth nothing that Bates worked with Jay Cutler, who is expected to be available this offseason, in both Denver and Chicago. He has apparently been working for a private coaching company in recent times.
He actually had a previous stint with the Jets as quarterbacks coach for a year in 2005, a year where the quarterback position was decimated by season-ending injuries to starter Chad Pennington and backup Jay Fielder in a Week 3 loss to Jacksonville.