Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates and run game coordinator Rick Dennison spent a lot of time coaching Mike Shanahan-led staffs, so it stands to reason that they might be looking for some of the same things on offense that Kyle Shanahan is looking for with the 49ers.
That was reportedly the case with one player in this year’s free agent class. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the Jets made a strong bid to sign running back Jerick McKinnon when free agency got underway last week but found that the younger Shanahan “was bent on not getting beat in the bidding.”
McKinnon ultimately signed a four-year deal with the 49ers that is set to pay him $12 million in the first year and has an average annual value of $7.5 million.
The Jets did sign running back Isaiah Crowell and Mehta reports that landing McKinnon likely would have led them to release Bilal Powell. They are slated to visit with wide receiver Terrelle Pryor as they look for other ways to add weapons on offense for the 2018 season.