Jets head into offseason with optimism

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The vibe is different around the New York Jets. Even with only four wins.

Yes, the franchise just completed another season without a postseason appearance, an NFL-worst drought of 11 straight years. And, yep, the Jets have just six victories in the past two seasons.

But a strange — yet realistic — sense of optimism is the main feeling heading into the offseason.

“Winning,” veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses insisted, “is right around the corner.”

It’s a tough sell to Jets fans who have gone generations without a Super Bowl, the last — and still only — appearance coming with Joe Namath in 1969.

There has been a lot of hope and optimism during those 50-plus years, only to fizzle into disappointment. And for the past 11 years, frustration has been the predominant feeling.

But with Joe Douglas entering his third full offseason as general manager, coach Robert Saleh coming off his first season leading the team and quarterback Zach Wilson showing marked improvement down the stretch of his rookie year, optimism and hope are back.

“We’re not where we want to be, four wins, a tough season,” Douglas said Monday. “But today was a good day.”

Douglas spoke about the exit interviews with players, the work ahead in the offseason and the tone Saleh has set for the team.

“When we set out to find the right person to lead this franchise, some of the biggest things we were looking for was someone who could teach, who could inspire and who could lead — and we have that in coach Saleh and his staff,” Douglas said. “Fortunate to call him a teammate.”

Douglas praised the “monumental player development task“Saleh and his staff dealt with as the Jets were exceptionally young all over the roster, with rookies and secondyear players such as Wilson, running back Michael Carter, wide receiver Elijah Moore, left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and cornerbacks Bryce Hall and Brandin Echols playing major roles.

That youth movement will continue this offseason with the Jets holding the Nos. 4 and 10 picks in the first round of the draft in April.

New York has plenty of salary cap space, too — likely between $50 million and $60 million — to plug holes during free agency.

“For me, I have to do a better job,” Douglas said.

Saleh called his relationship with Douglas “awesome” and the two are looking forward to working together to end the franchise’s playoff drought.

“The way Joe and I see football is identical,“Saleh said. “We believe that it starts in the trenches, we believe in the same character, we believe in the same type of player, we believe and see things very, very similar.

“His ability to challenge me from a coaching standpoint and my ability to challenge him with regards to being a GM, the conversations we can have without anyone taking it personal, I think is healthy. Very, very healthy. And because of it, there’s a lot of trust between Joe’s staff and the coaching staff.”