Exactly. People don't want to admit this but Rex, to this day, is a legitimate HC candidate. Here we are 4 years removed from the Rex Ryan era and I can (most others will never admit this) honestly say the following: 1) Rex Ryan was one of the best defensive minds I have ever seen. On defense at least, this guy can go 100% tit for tat with Bill Bellichick and come out on top his share. He did it before and I'm certain he'll do it again, maybe not with the Jets but some other NFL team. 2) Rex Ryan is probably the third best HC this pathetic, shitty organization has ever seen. He's behind Ewbank for obvious reasons and I still view Parcells as the best HC besides Ewbank. Still nothing to feel insulted by. 3) Most everyone (except me and few others) was convinced the Jets would be MUCH better off firing Rex and getting a new first rate HC and GM tandem. Well, the results are in. Our tandem perceived to be better actually SUCKED. They were far worse by ANY standard or metric you want to look at. That's a fact. Sometimes change is not for the best. 4) Rex Ryan is FAR from perfect. He's got a rather unusual personality and a lot of it. He'll do a good job as your HC and he WILL win you SB's but it's going to take a very tolerant GM and not some incompetent scumbag like John Idzik. That person, no different from any other GM, MUST know how to draft talent. Because of you give Rex talent to work with, he will get the very best out of it. 5) I see SOME of the positive traits of Rex in Adam Gase. Just like when Rex said he wasn't going to NE to kiss Bellichicks rings, Gase has almost the same to say. I like that mentality. That to me, is a very fair and objective analysis of Rex Ryan.
Unforunately, we have a track record in promoting "promising young" co-ordinators beyond their competence levels. Ryan would have been an All Pro DC for the Jets (as, probably, would Bowles) but he couldn't look beyond the defense as HC.. In the absence of a competent recruitment strategy, we are better off going for HC retreads than OC/DC candidates..
