Jets fans are growing impatient, but a former Lions star has a message: trust Aaron Glenn. Alex Anzalone, who thrived under Glenn in Detroit, is drawing parallels between the Jets' current struggles and the Lions' successful turnaround.

A former Lions linebacker has taken a stand, making fans believe. Alex Anzalone recently spoke about his former DC, Glenn, on his appearance at The Schultz Report on Thursday

"You know, obviously, I'm very close with him," Anzalone said. "He's been through a tough situation there, and it's similar to how Detroit was, and that turnaround, it took a few years to do."

Under Aaron Glenn, the Detroit Lions engineered a serious turnaround. From ranking 31st in points allowed in 2021 to 7th by 2024, the unit became elite.

"They have a leader of men, and they have a guy that is serious about football and truly cares about his players, and he's the guy that can get it done and turn it around," Anzalone continued.

Anzalone recently signed a two-year, $17 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He and Aaron Glenn first built their bond in 2017 with the New Orleans Saints, where Glenn coached him as a defensive backs coach. When Glenn became the Lions’ defensive coordinator in 2021, Anzalone followed him to Detroit.

Glenn got a broken Detroit defense in 2020 that surrendered a league-worst 519 points and 6,716 total yards. Things took time, though, resulting in a 3-13-1 record during his first season in 2021.

Eventually, Detroit improved step by step, finishing 9-8 in 2022 with a steady development plan. By 2023, they broke through with a strong 12-5 record under Glenn’s aggressive system.

Now, to secure the defense, the franchise has been linked to some key prospects for the 2026 NFL draft. Recently, Glenn gave his two cents on one particular player.

What Aaron Glenn Thinks of a Draft Target for the 2026 Draft

Turning around a struggling franchise doesn’t happen overnight, and the Jets are fully owning that reality after a tough first year under Aaron Glenn.

Glenn envisions immense, untapped potential in one young prospect: Ohio State Buckeyes' Arvell Reese.

"His college stats weren't up there, but he had all the traits, and he had a coach that could coach him to be where he's at now," Glenn told The Athletic. "Is that player coachable enough to do the things you want him to do to be successful?"

Some reports are also linking Arvell Reese to the Detroit Lions, and the fit is hard to ignore. In Kelvin Sheppard’s scheme, Reese profiles as the ideal SAM linebacker, someone who can set the edge, rush the passer, or drop back and disguise pressure.

Add in his familiarity with Matt Patricia-style concepts, and Detroit could be looking at a plug-and-play piece for its evolving defense.

For the New York Jets, who lean on nickel looks nearly 70% of the time, Arvell Reese fits like a missing piece.

Whether it is crashing off the edge in a 3-4 or shadowing plays as a coverage spy in a 4-3, his versatility gives New York the kind of flexibility offenses struggle to read.

Do you think the Jets will be able to overcome their struggling phase, just like the Lions did? Let us know your thoughts! Read more at the Detroit Lions Community!

Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote