TRADE dept. ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Maccagnan: Zac Stacy trade not related to concerns about Stevan Ridley’s knee

 

Instead of taking a shot on a rookie running back with a seventh-round pick on Saturday, the Jets opted to trade it to the Rams in exchange for Zac Stacy.Stacy, a 2013 fifth-round pick, became an odd man out in St. Louis when the team drafted Todd Gurley in the first round on Thursday. Reports that he wanted a trade came a short time later and the Jets decided to take the plunge.

 

Stacy joins a depth chart that also features Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley, who the Jets signed as a free agent this offseason as he recovers from a torn ACL. Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan said Saturday that concerns about Ridley’s return weren’t the reason why the team made the deal for Stacy.“We thought the idea of bringing Zac in for that kind of investment would be very beneficial and increase the competition at that position,” Maccagnan said, via ESPN.com. “He’s had success in the league.

 

Two years ago, he was close to a 1,000-yard back. This past season, his production wasn’t quite as high, but we do think he’s a good-caliber running back.”It may not be the knee that made Maccagnan pull the trigger on the trade, but the Jets would seem to have some concern about Ivory and/or Ridley being right for the job to add another back with a similar style to the mix.

 

> http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/03/maccagnan-zac-stacy-trade-not-related-to-concerns-about-stevan-ridleys-knee/

 

[kelly]

 Jets GM Mike Maccagnan says trading Mo Wilkerson 'not part of our plans'

 

General manager Mike Maccagnan said Wednesday the New York Jets aren't planning to put a "For Sale" sign on defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. At the same time, he didn't declare Wilkerson an untouchable.

 

Maccagnan, speaking on The Michael Kay Show on ESPN New York 98.7 FM, said Wilkerson's name came up in conversations when he talked to the teams in the top five before the draft. At that time, the Jets were gauging the market in the event they wanted to trade up."We're not actively shopping Mo. It's not part of our plans," Maccagnan said. "But, again, his name comes up periodically at times, but nothing active right now."Wilkerson's future is a question because he has only one year remaining on his contact (he's skipping voluntary workouts) and the Jets drafted a first-round defensive lineman for the fourth time in five years, Leonard Williams. Because of salary-cap restrictions, it will be difficult, but not impossible to extend Wilkerson, widely regarded as the best player on the team over the last two seasons.

 

Maccagnan said he doesn't want Wilkerson to go anywhere."Mo's a good player, he's part of this organization and he's currently under contract," he said. "We'd like to keep him in this organization. We just have to go through a process with him to figure out, you know, if we can find a middle ground."Maccagnan, pleasantly surprised that Williams fell to them with the sixth pick, said he didn't consider the "big picture" before pulling the trigger -- meaning the potential long-term implications for Wilkerson. He said Williams was too good to pass up."It's a good situation," Maccagnan said. "My thing is this: It's kind of up to Todd (Bowles) to best utilize his resources at that position. Going forward, it doesn't really impact Mo directly in that sense."

 

Oh, but it does. It hurts his negotiating leverage, considering another talented defensive end has joined Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson. Now that the draft is history, we can say with a strong sense of certainty that Wilkerson won't be traded in 2015. It's hard to imagine them receiving a fair-market offer that includes no first-round pick in 2015. But, barring a long-term deal, it'll be a huge story next offseason.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51186/jets-gm-mike-maccagnan-says-trading-mo-wilkerson-not-part-of-our-plans