Rex Ryan gets to keep his job with the New York Jets. The coach won't get everything he wants, however.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Media's Kimberly Jones reported Monday that Jets brass do not plan on giving Ryan the long-term extension he covets, according to team sources and those familiar with their thinking. Ryan is said to be re-signed to a contract extension that will only take him through the 2015 season.
Ryan was hoping to leverage a longer deal out of a 2013 season in which he got eight wins out of a Jets team with no offensive playmakers and a rookie quarterback who threw 21 interceptions.
Instead, Ryan will likely enter 2014 in the same manner he opened this season. Not a true lame duck, but not far off, either.
The other issue right now is the coaching staff. Many of Ryan's assistants have expiring contracts and find themselves in a holding pattern as they wait for the uncertainty around Ryan to dissipate. It's possible some coaches leave in search of better long-term security.
It would behoove the Jets to get Ryan's contract extension done quickly, then retain the assistants Ryan has come to value and trust. We'll see if it plays out that way.
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