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Newly hired Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who is in the early stages of setting up his assistant coaching team, will hire Mike LaFleur as his offensive coordinator as planned, according to a Monday report from Mike Silver of NFL Network.
LaFleur, 34, who was the 49ers passing coordinator under head coach Mike Shanahan, is the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
Saleh is also hiring John Benton as the Jets’ offensive line coach, according to the report. Benton was the offensive line and running game coordinator for the 49ers.
Greg Knapp, who was the Falcons quarterbacks coach, is expected to join the Jets in the same capacity. And Rob Calabrese, who was an offensive quality control coach for the Broncos, is hired as a passing specialist. Calabrese is originally from Long Island.
The Jets have not officially announced any of these hires, as Saleh is believed to have yet to sign his five-year contract. They may be waiting until he travels to New Jersey for his introductory press conference (Zoom call), which appears to be taking place on Thursday.
But the 49ers announced on Monday both the promotion of linebacker coach DeMeco Ryans to replace Saleh as defensive coordinator and match coordinator Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator replacing LaFleur.
Interestingly, Saleh’s first signings are all on the offensive side of the ball. His experience, of course, is defense. And the Jets are coming out of back-to-back seasons as the NFL’s lowest-ranked offense.
The 49ers this season, despite quarterback injuries, have been ranked 15th in attack.
When it comes to offensive online play, according to Pro Football Focus, the Jets ranked 31st in pass blocking and 19th in runway blocking, while the 49ers were 24th and second in those categories.
Benton is entering his 18th season as an NFL offensive line coach, having worked with the St. Louis Rams, Texans, Dolphins, Jaguars and 49ers for the past four seasons. Under Benton, the Texans set franchise records for rushing yards (2,448) in 2011 and passing yards (4,564) and total offense (6,129 yards) in 2009.
In the 49ers’ Super Bowl season of 2019, their offense ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (144.1) and fourth in the league in total offense (381.1 yards per game).
Knapp has experience in the NFL as an offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, including his work with Michael Vick with the Falcons from 2004 to 2006. Calabrese, a former college quarterback, was the offensive coordinator of the Wagner College before becoming the offensive quality control coach with Denver from 2019-2020.
LaFleur, who is expected to lead Kyle Shanahan’s offense which features plenty of movement and pass-stroke option in his schedule, entered the NFL as an offensive intern with the Browns in 2014 and then served as an offensive assistant with the Falcons from 2015 to 2016. He joined the 49ers in 2017 as a passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach.
Other potential candidates for Saleh’s staff include Miles Austin, a New Jersey native who played his appeal at Monmouth University. Austin, a former NFL wide receiver for the Cowboys, Browns and Eagles, looks set to take over as the Jets’ receivers coach.
Saleh, speaking at the QB Coaching Summit last year, said, “Your staff complement you.”
He still has a way to go before his squad is complete, but it’s a start for Saleh.
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