The New York Jets made the only move they could by firing Todd Bowles after Sunday's embarrassing 38-3 loss to the New England Patriots. 

They've regressed under Bowles' supervision, from a 10-6 start in 2015 to 4-12 three years later. His dismissal places the Jets in a better position going into the 2019 offseason. 

Some assistants just don't have the makeup to be NFL head coaches. Bowles fits the bill.

The former defensive coordinator is a creative mind when not asked to shoulder the responsibilities of an entire franchise. He crumbled when faced with leading the organization, and it showed in the on-field product and also in some of the off-field issues. 

The makings of a disaster can be seen when players don't respect their coach. Some did, of course. 

"Todd Bowles is my favorite coach since I've played this game," safety Jamal Adams said, per the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta. "I hate to see him go down like that. It's probably happening. You live and learn. This world is crazy. I know TBowles is going to do phenomenal wherever he ends up. I believe in karma."

Maybe even the majority of the Jets roster liked Bowles. But tales of star players consistently tardy to team meetings say otherwise. 

All of this started with Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson. A team source told NJ.com's Connor Hughes two years ago the team's star defenders were late or didn't show up to meetings "all the time" and "definitely" more often than others. Bowles tried to discipline them, but ultimately both defensive linemen ended up elsewhere. 

Normally, one or two bad actors don't represent an entire locker room. However, continued issues signal an overall lack of discipline. 

Bowles still had to deal with tardiness leading up to his final game as head coach, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson: 

Stuff happens. Life gets in the way. Missed practices and meetings don't tell the entire story, but they can serve as a microcosm of a poorly run team. 

The Jets never got off the runway with Bowles leading the way. Same as it ever was. The Jets haven't tasted real success in 50 years, and the results continue to underwhelm. Pete Carroll, Bill Parcells, Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan couldn't find the winning formula before Bowles arrived. 

A different type of person is needed to lead the team. The next coach can't just be a strict disciplinarian or a big personality. Bowles never quite fit either standard, and he isn't a reserved tactician like Bill Belichick, whom the Jets hired for one day before he joined the Patriots. 

According to the Jets' official release, general manager Mike Maccagnan "will work closely" with chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson to hire the next coach. Maccagnan gets a second chance despite a spotty track record. It's safe to say the front office will want to bring someone on board who fits its philosophical approach. 

An offense-minded candidate is the most obvious qualification since the organization finally seems to have gotten it right at the game's most important position. 

Sam Darnold is a franchise quarterback in the making. The rookie completed 64 percent of his passes for 931 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception over the final month, and his ability to create and extend plays is exceptional. 

The Jets are enticing on three levels.

Darnold's an easy sell for any candidate. New York owns the second-most projected salary-cap space next year at a whopping $106 million, according to Over the Cap. Plus, Bowles' failures have a silver lining: the third overall pick in April's draft. The organization already has building blocks in Darnold, Adams and defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Another should be added with the premium pick, or Maccagnan can build a war chest of draft capital by trading out depending on which prospects are available. 

The pieces are in place for the Jets to be successful. Finding the right candidate, though, is a far more difficult proposition. 

Maccagnan's active participation signals a candidate with some familiarity. The NFL is a tight-knit group for coaches, scouts and front office personnel. When someone's back is against the wall—which Maccagnan's will be if the Jets don't turn it around relatively quickly with a new coach—the tendency is to surround oneself with those who are deemed reliable. 

The general manager spent 15 years with the Houston Texans organization before joining the Jets. Gary Kubiak and Kyle Shanahan won't be available, but Maccagnan should look toward the current staff. Bill O'Brien has done a wonderful job as the Texans head coach, with three division titles in the last four seasons. Maccagnan was part of Houston's front office upon O'Brien's hiring, so he should know O'Brien and his overall approach well enough.

Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan is a rising star in the coaching ranks, due in part to the development of Deshaun Watson. Ryan interviewed to become the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator in January. He's already worked in the New York market as well, having served on Tom Coughlin's staff as a quality-control-turned-quarterbacks-turned-wide-receivers coach. At 46 years old, Ryan is ready for a much bigger opportunity. 

The ties that bind can often be found among agents. A few names of interest pop up when looking at Bob LaMonte's clients, since he represents Maccagnan.

Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor is a burgeoning star as Sean McVay's right-hand man in building the team's impressive offensive game plans. 

"He's instrumental in our third-down game-planning," McVay told Sports Illustrated's Andy Benoit. "And he doesn't just agree with everything; he challenges you but in a way that's very welcoming. Sometimes in the NFL disagreements can be uncomfortable in a staff meeting, but not here. There's a refreshing security that Zac has in himself. He has great emotional intelligence and awareness for how to communicate in a way that makes peoples' guards go down. That's a great trait for a coach to have."

Taylor would almost certainly bring his brother, Press, who serves as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback coach, along with him. They may be the perfect pair to develop Darnold. 

Eagles assistant head coach and running backs coach Duce Staley is another from the LaMonte tree. Staley demands respect as a former successful player and voice in Philadelphia's locker room. 

"If there's a time he needs to speak to the team, obviously, in that position, he can do that for me," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said, per PhillyVoice.com's Jimmy Kempski. 

Ryan, Taylor and Staley aren't the typical names associated with openings during the upcoming hiring cycle. Better-known candidates like former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy or Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are often mentioned. 

However, the process is about finding the right fit, not the right resume.

Pederson is now a Super Bowl-winning head coach after not being the primary play-caller for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chicago Bears' Matt Nagy may be the front-runner for Coach of the Year, and he didn't call plays for the Chiefs until the final five games of the regular season last year. The Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin spent one season as a coordinator. 

No magic formula exists to find the right head coach. This is why the Jets, who have repeatedly failed to make the correct hire, still have hope.

Bowles wasn't the guy. That's OK. The next head coach could be—which is why the organization made the right move by firing him.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.