The Jets fired Robert Saleh, and the big problem could be finding someone willing to replace him

The New York Jets didn't seem too worried about 2025 and beyond. Knowing that time with Aaron Rodgers was short, they focused on this season. That's one reason Robert Saleh was fired after five games. There is no time for patience.

But at some point soon there will be a reality that may not be pretty.

The Jets will need to find a new head coach in January, perhaps a new general manager and also a lot of new players. Maybe interim coach Jeff Ulbrich will take a talented team to the playoffs and answer that part of the question. Maybe Aaron Rodgers will be back for 2025, postponing the quarterback problem for a season.

But there's also the very real possibility that the Jets are a disappointment all season, and then they'll face a question come next offseason: What happens when you go all in and then miss?

Jets may need to be rebuilt

The Jets have a lot of veterans, which makes sense when pursuing a chance at stardom with a quarterback who's about to turn 41.

There are 15 players age 29 or older on the Jets' active roster, and that doesn't include 30-year-old no-show pass rusher Haason Reddick. The Jets also have some good young players like receiver Garrett Wilson, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, cornerback Sauce Gardner and running back Breece Hall (though Hall's struggles throughout the season are a concern). Should the Jets actually decide to rebuild if their season doesn't turn around — “If I don't do what I'm capable of, we're probably all going to get out of here,” Rodgers told the Jets media in May — there are some building blocks.

But convincing a new coach of the future situation will not be easy.

The Jets have the longest playoff drought in major American professional sports. They have a lot of veterans who are nearing the end. That includes Rodgers, who has said he doesn't know how much longer he will play. If he decides to stay, his contract will expire in 2025. And if he stays, that might not be a selling point for a new coach. He will be 42 in December 2025, hasn't played well this season and you can probably ask Saleh how difficult it can be to coach him. The Jets don't have anyone on the roster who is an heir apparent in 2025 or beyond. They probably won't have a great draft position, and it's not an exciting quarterback draft class anyway.

Ownership won't help. Woody Johnson bought the team in 2000 and the Jets have had a 170-222 record since then. The Jets won the AFC East once in his first 24 seasons as owner. Johnson is widely considered one of the worst owners in the NFL, and that can ruin a franchise.

The Jets have most of their future draft picks, although they did send a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles for Reddick, who has not yet reported. And when Johnson probably says that this is “one of the most talented teams ever assembled by the New York Jets” and “I want to give the team the best possible chance to win this season,” then something like a future trade Picks against Davante Adams or anyone else are on the table. They have plenty of cap space going forward. Maybe a renovation wouldn't take long.

But it's still a franchise that has created a losing culture with a bad ownership and may be looking for a new quarterback with no apparent plan to solve that problem. And whatever comes next, it will take place in one of the most pressured markets in the NFL. Which hot young coaching candidate would like to take part?

How will the Jets finish this season?

Things can change very quickly in the NFL. It's not unreasonable to think that the Jets can turn things around with Ulbrich. They are still very talented. If they beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, they will be in first place in the AFC East. It's a team that would currently be 3-2 if Greg Zuerlein made a field goal in the final minute of a Week 4 loss.

Subscribe Insider reporting To Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

The Jets may not be as far off as any other team that fires its coach during the season. They haven't played well this season, but don't assume they won't be able to turn things around.

That would solve some, but not all, of the Jets' future problems. If the Jets make the playoffs and break their depressing postseason drought, it appears they will give Ulbrich another chance to be their coach next season. Maybe he is the answer. You can't say that yet.

But it takes some optimism to get there. The Jets look like a team led by an old quarterback, can't run the ball, and aside from one game against the hapless Patriots, hasn't looked remotely like a playoff team. Even a wild card appearance and an early exit wouldn't be satisfactory for most Jets fans. It's fair to assume the Jets aren't as good as the Bills in the AFC East, don't get a wild card spot… and win enough games to push them back in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Saleh's dismissal on Tuesday was chaotic in several ways. But the real problems could start when the season is over. And every coaching candidate will be aware of this.