Which Jets Players Will Make the Biggest Improvements Under the New Coaching Staff?

With a new coaching staff coming in, the New York Jets are expected to show improvement from the failure of the previous regime. However, improvement is not just measured in win total. It also means player development, and some players from last year's team are expected to take a leap this coming season. This can be due to the scheme or coaching style, but either way, fans should keep an eye on these players to take that next step.

Jamien Sherwood, LB

Jamien Sherwood showed major improvement last season, not just growing into a legitimate plus starter, but garnering All-Pro votes as well. Sherwood projects to improve this season, as he will most likely be given a larger responsibility in new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ scheme. Wilks tends to put a lot more on linebackers, and mental processing is a major part of that. Luckily for Sherwood, mental processing is one of his strong suits, so expect him to only get better in this new defensive scheme.

Malachi Corley, WR

Malachi Corley will not have to improve much in order to take a major leap in production. Corley played in nine games in 2024, in which he caught three balls for 26 yards. While it was an incredibly disappointing first season for the former 65th overall pick, there is hope for him to be drastically more productive this coming season. The previous coaching staff proved time and time again that they had no clue how to use a player like Corley. He is a player who is at his best when given designed touches, and judging by his three catches, he didn’t get many. Aaron Glenn has already stated that the new staff has a plan in place for Corley, so he should be in line to at least be an effective piece of the offense.

Will McDonald IV, EDGE

Will McDonald already made major improvements in 2024, racking up double-digit sacks with increased playing time. However, he is poised to become an even better all-around player under this new coaching staff. McDonald bulked up big time over the summer, putting on 15 pounds. This will help him in the one place he struggled in 2024, which was setting the edge against the run. If McDonald can also become a plus run defender in 2025, along with his disruptiveness as a pass rusher, he will quickly become one of the best players on this loaded Jets defense.