Is Mac over his head? MMMaybe

[BRONX DUDE]

I don't get it at all!!

What did some of us think that Mac was going to run in here put some crazy glue on the team and we were going to go from practically being an unprofessional team at times last year to playoff favorites and potential SB contenders?

Come on now!!!!

What was all the hype about?  Bowles another defensive genius? Just like Rex .LMAO.

[Charlie Brown]

When we were 4-12 in 05 and 07 were we unprofessional??

Yes in Herm's last year for example with Brooks Bolinger at the helm there were times like with Geno last year that that team barely looked like an NFL team IMO.  

[Savage69]

Yes in Herm's last year for example with Brooks Bolinger at the helm there were times like with Geno last year that that team barely looked like an NFL team IMO.  

And Mangini gets a pass for 07?? BTW Hermie had to go with Brooks both Chad and Jay Fiedler were hurt within a few plays of each other I seem to remember..

[jetfan39]

No, but reading this thread and some of the responses to it indicates many fans are in way over their heads.

but it's always good for laughs

[Charlie Brown]

And Mangini gets a pass for 07?? BTW Hermie had to go with Brooks both Chad and Jay Fiedler were hurt within a few plays of each other I seem to remember..

I don't count Mangini because he was in restropect a good talent evaluator but very poor HC. 

And you well know I defended barbecue Herm but he had to go even though I didn't blame him for Bollinger for the loss of his 1st and 2nd string QBs in much the same way I don't blame Rex for Geno.   

You just can't remain sometimes when the team isn't going right.  

I just think it is a little early to be saying TB or Mac are bums before we have even played a full season. 

[Ken Schroy]

10 games into the first year is not the time to be making judgments on anyone. I know society is all about the what can you do for me now immediacy, but great teams aren't built in one offseason. Questioning any type of money being thrown around is silly. The Jets had to spend the money by the rule, and did a decent job at it. I'm not sure what else they could have done that much differently. 

What Rome wasn't built in a day? Some of these posts are delusional. This roster was a mess. It cant be fixed  after 1 draft.

[southparkcpa]

We start 4-1 and many see Mac as the best thing since Pop Tarts.  We are now 5-5.  Is the truth surfacing? Is Mac (and Bowles) over their head?  Was it smart to spend zillions on an overaged, make shift secondary?  Was it smart to use a No.1 pick on another DLineman when DL was this team's strength?  Was it smart to not get a better option at QB other than Fitzy when you have the combustible Geno as your starter?  Was it smart to sign Revis to ALL that money knowing he is getting older fast and Cro having a history of being scorched? Was it smart to draft a wr in round 2 that showed nothing more than vertical speed in college and never ran another route in his life?  Was it smart signing Harris to a ALL that money?  The answer is a resounding NO.  I was totally against Revis and Harris signing for billions, bringing back Cro and giving Gilchrist all that money as well. Skrine I could see.  Relying on Smith to be your starting QB? Stupid. Signing Fitz as a back up plan wasn't exactly genius either.  Still, not much choice in the matter BUT he has to address this for 2016.  Petty is not even close to ready.  And the prior draft looks rather pedestrian.  I was hoping they would have taken Todd Gurrely. Risk aside, if it didn't pay off, so be it. But, if you hit on it, then you get the best RB the NFL has seen since AD (Peterson). Of course, Williams is a potential beast, but we needed offense.  Round 2 - Devin Smith - OMG this kid is nothing more than the reincarnation of Ted Ginn w/o the ability to return kicks or catch and occasional ball. What a waste.  Mauldin has been a nice find. Petty was worth the gamble.  Anyways, this mess falls squarely on Bowles and Mac, who I believe are both over their heads in their roles.             

I've read nothing yet on this thread but we were in such bad shape...what else could he have done?

4 years of very bad drafts leave us needing in all positions. 

im surprised we were 4 -1....   Fitz has never finished a season well.  He is a back up.  

If we finish at 8 and 8  I'd be surprised.

 

 

 

[UnitedWhofans]

Look at the Houston Texans. Guess who had a hand in building that team in personnel.

 

OUR GUY

[NYJ37/12]

I was too bored to simply reply to this thread, so I spent 5 minutes and did some digging..

From a May 2nd PowPow post:

haha, great research!

[Jetster]

You know it's been close to a year now, and I still never remember how many c's and g's I'm supposed to type when I write his name. Not sure how I feel about that.

Lol...thanks for the laugh after another Sunday of horror

[Rexorcism]

I hate Pop Tarts

[Powpow]

I thought there was no such thing a a stupid question?

Are you saying Jetfanatics comment is a stupid comment?  This is a question by the way. 

[Rexorcism]

We start 4-1 and many see Mac as the best thing since Pop Tarts.  We are now 5-5.  Is the truth surfacing? Is Mac (and Bowles) over their head?  Was it smart to spend zillions on an overaged, make shift secondary?  Was it smart to use a No.1 pick on another DLineman when DL was this team's strength?  Was it smart to not get a better option at QB other than Fitzy when you have the combustible Geno as your starter?  Was it smart to sign Revis to ALL that money knowing he is getting older fast and Cro having a history of being scorched? Was it smart to draft a wr in round 2 that showed nothing more than vertical speed in college and never ran another route in his life?  Was it smart signing Harris to a ALL that money?  The answer is a resounding NO.  I was totally against Revis and Harris signing for billions, bringing back Cro and giving Gilchrist all that money as well. Skrine I could see.  Relying on Smith to be your starting QB? Stupid. Signing Fitz as a back up plan wasn't exactly genius either.  Still, not much choice in the matter BUT he has to address this for 2016.  Petty is not even close to ready.  And the prior draft looks rather pedestrian.  I was hoping they would have taken Todd Gurrely. Risk aside, if it didn't pay off, so be it. But, if you hit on it, then you get the best RB the NFL has seen since AD (Peterson). Of course, Williams is a potential beast, but we needed offense.  Round 2 - Devin Smith - OMG this kid is nothing more than the reincarnation of Ted Ginn w/o the ability to return kicks or catch and occasional ball. What a waste.  Mauldin has been a nice find. Petty was worth the gamble.  Anyways, this mess falls squarely on Bowles and Mac, who I believe are both over their heads in their roles.             

Can we hire you to be our GM?  You seem to really get it...A real go getter, I say...We need a guy like you...Name your price.

[Powpow]

Look we fired a GM after only two seasons. And despite his inadequacies some of the players he acquired are starting to come around (like Pryor). IMO you have to give Mac three seasons to build a franchise and for his drafts to kick in. If the Jets fire people every year or two then what we've heard in the past like when Woody couldn't get his top choices after 2012 to take the GMs job is true. That the Jets job is one of the worst in the NFL (because of the owner). We're already seeing that the big push to overpay cornerbacks (instead of to rebuild the secondary) isn't really working out. There is no way that Revis is a 16 mil a year player. And Cro who deserved to be cut after 2013 is way overpaid. Personally I blame both of those signings on Woody. I don't believe that it was Mac's call. Let Woody bud out and let Mac do his job. As for the fans let's get a little rational for a change and not want to fire people every two minutes. And this includes Bowles who is a rookie HC. The team is 5-5 and that's pretty much what the talent level of the Jets is. We were 4-12 last season. 

I have never said to fire Mac or Bowles but so many here take everything to heart. I just didn't like many of the moves Mac has made. Seems he was more interested in making a splash than wise choices with all that money.  All of you are bitching about Fitz and Geno.  I for one was hoping he would find a way to secure a better QB somehow.  Signing Revis and Cro was a PR move.   they were just too expensive.  Gilchrist, Harris? What have they done? Harris is old and getting older.  Yet he signs him to an extended contract.  That's a lot of money that could have gone elsewhere and made this team younger.        

[Jet Nut]

Its hard to imagine anyone would write this drivel, read it and still hit the submit button.

But I see the logic.  Macc should have waived his magic wand, sprayed some pixie dust that all the top GMs have and found a young Revis, 2 of them, a young Ray Lewis, a couple of them and most importantly found a young Brady type at the league minimum.  I hate him for not getting it done too.

Funny that these deep thinker types dont start these threads at 4-1.  At 5-5 theyre all over it though

 

[Powpow]

Can we hire you to be our GM?  You seem to really get it...A real go getter, I say...We need a guy like you...Name your price.

Well lets see. Its 2015. Last time we won a Super Bowl I was 12.  That's 45 years in the waiting. I think even you could do better as a GM since the last 45 years.  But who's counting? 

[Powpow]

Another stupid topic.  I know one thing for sure, if he is over his head, it will take more than 1 off season to figure it out.

Yes I'm sure it will take you 10 seasons to figure it out.

[Powpow]

I was too bored to simply reply to this thread, so I spent 5 minutes and did some digging..

From a May 2nd PowPow post:

UH what?  Williams is considered a cant miss prospect, best player in the draft, in the fold of Deacon Jones HOF. That alone is mind boggling that he fell to us at #6.  Devin Smith could be the next Desean Jackson, kid is smoking fast. Mauldin is a beast, strong, good pass rusher and a good fit for us, fills a huge need.  If Petty can reach his potential, this draft could easily be the best Jet draft ever.  On top of that, we added Marshall for a 5th, traded a 7th for a productive RB in Stacey.  Also, could get a steal in guard Harrison in the 5th.  Some people are just hard to please.  

So you are catching a titty attack over my views by 'digging up' something I wrote on May 2nd?  Is it that time of month for you?  What was so contradicting?  Things evolve and devolve. My main beef with Mac is more with spending millions on Revis, Cro, Harris, Gilchrist and not finding a better option at QB.  Where does it say in the post that I want him or Bowles fired, or that Williams was a 'bad' pick. Just said that I would have preferred to roll the dice on Gurely. Williams will be a star but he was a luxury we really didn't need. Gurely, who I preferred, would have reinvigorated this dead offense.  The Smith pick has been an albatross. Everyone, including myself, was excited. Ok so he got it wrong, me too. And so did numerous others on this board. Signing Fitz was smart BUT not as the starter. And yes he was signed as the back up BUT are you that stupid to believe Geno would have actually started.  I was hoping Mac would have done whatever he could to get a legit QB. All that money, trade picks do whatever you have to.  Another poster stated if Fitz starts next year, Mac should be fired.  I agree.  If you don't like what I wrote then tough titties.  Find a better argument next time you're bored.                 

[Mogglez]

I was too bored to simply reply to this thread, so I spent 5 minutes and did some digging..

From a May 2nd PowPow post:

It's SG3 all over again. 

[Powpow]

I'm reserving my judgement of this regime - for now.  Seeing what they've done with the team they inherited and with what was available to them I don't think its as bad as you make it sound - what were the alternatives to your complaints above? Instead of resigning harris who would we have signed? Who instead of revis and Cro? And instead of smith and fitz who would you have gotten QB?

I tend to think sending a #5 to the bears for marshall and a 7th and then using that 7th to get fitz here at reasonable price was a decent move, especially looking at what else was available… I mean its not like there were a ton of amazing players available that we chose not to sign.  

 

First off I appreciate your post and not judging me.  It may seem I am judging Mac but in reality I am just questioning the rationale over some of the moves he made.  I have never called for his head or that of Bowles.  Not yet.  I loved the Marshall/Fitz trade - it was brilliant. Never said it was a bad move.  But many of the other moves I did not care for in the least.  To begin with, signing Harris was sentimental.  He is washed up.  Not sure who was available but I would not have signed him to an extended, overblown contract.  So many on here were done with Harris, yet is his signing exempt from criticism because Mac signed him?  What has Harris done this year?  NOTHING!  He is old, worn out and cant cover Shuler82's mother.  Well, get used to it because he's here for awhile so more of that to come.  The Revis signing was nothing more than a knee jerk reaction by Woody.  Who else would have given him that kind of money? No one!  Yet we overpay him yet again.  I love the guy but not for that much money. I would have offered 3 years 30 mill with some incentives take it or leave it.  The Cro signing was just abysmal, even if just for a year.  The guy has more burn marks than Evil Knievel.  Gilchrist was another stupid move, even for a year. He is not a true safety and has proven to be another wasted signing.  Skrine was an excellent choice, no argument there.  As far as the QB position, my first act would have been to cut Geno.  Then find a decent starter (somehow through a trade of draft picks, players and cash) and have Fitz be the back up. Glennon would have been a nice pick up with Fitz backing him up. He would have come cheap and we would have time to develop Petty and keep looking next year.                       

[Jetman55]

Yes I'm sure it will take you 10 seasons to figure it out.

if you think you already know Mac is incompotent, well, I think the most incompotent thing you'll see in your life is in the mirror...

[Rexorcism]

I have never said to fire Mac or Bowles but so many here take everything to heart. I just didn't like many of the moves Mac has made. Seems he was more interested in making a splash than wise choices with all that money.  All of you are bitching about Fitz and Geno.  I for one was hoping he would find a way to secure a better QB somehow.  Signing Revis and Cro was a PR move.   they were just too expensive.  Gilchrist, Harris? What have they done? Harris is old and getting older.  Yet he signs him to an extended contract.  That's a lot of money that could have gone elsewhere and made this team younger.        

In May you loved everything Mac did...You've been exposed

[Rexorcism]

Well lets see. Its 2015. Last time we won a Super Bowl I was 12.  That's 45 years in the waiting. I think even you could do better as a GM since the last 45 years.  But who's counting? 

Ok, genius, whatever you say...Will you flip flop on yourself like you have with Mac?

[The Crusher]

Are you saying Jetfanatics comment is a stupid comment?  This is a question by the way. 

No.  That would be stupid.

[KRL]

I know I'll never see it in my lifetime BUT it would be so refreshing if "fans" would apply at

least one of their brain cells to analyzing their team before calling for someone's head.  It's

beyond tiresome reading the simplistic blame game that goes on whenever the team doesn't

win.  Grow up

[section314]

but it's always good for laughs

Agree with that

No, but reading this post and some of the responses to it indicates many fans are in way over their heads.

[faba]

Like any GM he has some success and some misses so far- lets see what the next off season brings before we crucify him OK

[Sperm Edwards]

We start 4-1 and many see Mac as the best thing since Pop Tarts.  We are now 5-5.  Is the truth surfacing? Is Mac (and Bowles) over their head?  Was it smart to spend zillions on an overaged, make shift secondary?  Was it smart to use a No.1 pick on another DLineman when DL was this team's strength?  Was it smart to not get a better option at QB other than Fitzy when you have the combustible Geno as your starter?  Was it smart to sign Revis to ALL that money knowing he is getting older fast and Cro having a history of being scorched? Was it smart to draft a wr in round 2 that showed nothing more than vertical speed in college and never ran another route in his life?  Was it smart signing Harris to a ALL that money?  The answer is a resounding NO.  I was totally against Revis and Harris signing for billions, bringing back Cro and giving Gilchrist all that money as well. Skrine I could see.  Relying on Smith to be your starting QB? Stupid. Signing Fitz as a back up plan wasn't exactly genius either.  Still, not much choice in the matter BUT he has to address this for 2016.  Petty is not even close to ready.  And the prior draft looks rather pedestrian.  I was hoping they would have taken Todd Gurrely. Risk aside, if it didn't pay off, so be it. But, if you hit on it, then you get the best RB the NFL has seen since AD (Peterson). Of course, Williams is a potential beast, but we needed offense.  Round 2 - Devin Smith - OMG this kid is nothing more than the reincarnation of Ted Ginn w/o the ability to return kicks or catch and occasional ball. What a waste.  Mauldin has been a nice find. Petty was worth the gamble.  Anyways, this mess falls squarely on Bowles and Mac, who I believe are both over their heads in their roles.             

Don't disagree with some of the individual criticisms, as I shared a few when they happened. But some of them were worthwhile, and understandable, given the setting at the time.

New HC who we know isn't going to get handed a QB. All he can do is build up around him. This generally goes against my philosophy of spending like you're close when you are not. Older, mega-expensive CBs are not investments; they are missing pieces. And Cromartie was just stupid stupid stupid the day it was signed and I don't care how depleted the secondary was heading into March. We're not winning a superbowl with Fitzpatrick so why not find out what you've got, or find what you can, in players who have an actual future with the team. Especially with Cromartie being a Bowles request, you have to know he's not benching Cromartie unless he gets injured, if for no other reason then just to save face.

Didn't like the Harris re-signing (to say the least) at that crazy money for him, but I have to admit he's been better than expected, and looks faster than he has in years. Problem is at that money, he's an every down player and he really should be off the field more. It is maddening to see him drop into coverage on obvious passing downs.

Fitz was at least understandable. Years of starting experience, and he and the new OC were obviously familiar with each other. Maccagnan was familiar with him, too. The problem is that familiarity should have been a justification to not rely upon him. Not to mention he wasn't ready to go when it was time to choose a starter at the beginning of camp. But at that price, I can't argue with him as a backup. What I could argue with is that, with all that money to burn, they could have brought in more than one veteran QB to "compete" with Geno, who was handed a job without competition anyway. Hoyer is about the best name I can think of. He gets hurt easily, but then the team has both Fitz and Geno and whoever they can land in the draft. Drop the weakest link among the 3 veterans on final cutdown day. Geno was dirt cheap, but if you're going to throw around $15M per season on Harris and Cromartie you have no justification to split hairs on $2M at the most important position. Of course the real problem is the coaches actually liked him, or so they claimed. 

Gilchrist was not a dumb signing. $4M isn't a lot for a young starting safety, and as a converted CB he has coverage skills that Pryor sorely lacks. We haven't had a complete non-liability in pass coverage back there since Kerry Rhodes was dumped. IMO it further only makes the signing look better with the injury to Allen, who wasn't good enough in coverage to start at corner, but it should have been good enough - and the experience helpful, even - for a move back to FS. Then again, would Allen have been injured if Gilchrist wasn't signed? (It's unlikely he'd have been in the same place at the same time on the same play).

I hate the idea of using a crazy-high pick like that on a RB. Even the toughest guys at that position get injured too easily. I'd rather make the position bullet-proof by bolstering up the OL so even a Thomas Jones or Shonn Greene can look like badasses. Where I think Mac didn't deliver at the RB position is we don't have one under contract after the season's over. From first string to last string, I think they're all FAs in 2016. Situations like that often cause re-signings a GM wouldn't necessarily make if he wasn't in a desperate situation. Look what it did to Tannenbaum when 3 of his 4 WRs (Braylon, Holmes, B.Smith) became FAs in the same offseason. He made himself desperate, and gave Santonio Holmes $20M guaranteed as a direct result. Then that bad situation compounded itself by over-drafting Stephen Hill.

I'll let the draft comments go to others. I don't follow these guys in college so I couldn't say who was worthwhile or not, other than the easy/lazy benefit of hindsight. 

[slats]

First off I appreciate your post and not judging me.  It may seem I am judging Mac but in reality I am just questioning the rationale over some of the moves he made.  I have never called for his head or that of Bowles.  Not yet.  I loved the Marshall/Fitz trade - it was brilliant. Never said it was a bad move.  But many of the other moves I did not care for in the least.  To begin with, signing Harris was sentimental.  He is washed up.  Not sure who was available but I would not have signed him to an extended, overblown contract.  So many on here were done with Harris, yet is his signing exempt from criticism because Mac signed him?  What has Harris done this year?  NOTHING!  He is old, worn out and cant cover Shuler82's mother.  Well, get used to it because he's here for awhile so more of that to come.  The Revis signing was nothing more than a knee jerk reaction by Woody.  Who else would have given him that kind of money? No one!  Yet we overpay him yet again.  I love the guy but not for that much money. I would have offered 3 years 30 mill with some incentives take it or leave it.  The Cro signing was just abysmal, even if just for a year.  The guy has more burn marks than Evil Knievel.  Gilchrist was another stupid move, even for a year. He is not a true safety and has proven to be another wasted signing.  Skrine was an excellent choice, no argument there.  As far as the QB position, my first act would have been to cut Geno.  Then find a decent starter (somehow through a trade of draft picks, players and cash) and have Fitz be the back up. Glennon would have been a nice pick up with Fitz backing him up. He would have come cheap and we would have time to develop Petty and keep looking next year.                       

Much of your rant is about Harris who, while almost certainly overpaid, has hardly done NOTHING! Once again he leads the team in tackles (as he does every year), and he's a high character guy who's a leader on the field and a role model off of it. 

Revis is still one of the best CBs in the game, if not the best anymore (he's still in the discussion). Did Woody want to make a splash there? Maybe. But I'd have to think Maccagnan and Bowles were both looking for a centerpiece for a secondary that desperately needed to be completely overhauled. He was never taking $10M/year (lol!), and would've gotten a similar contract to what the Jets paid him somewhere else. It's what he does. For the Jets part, the last of his guaranteed money is $6M in his third year. So once we get past next year, the team has room to renegotiate/reduce his salary if he's not performing. 

Cro played well last year for Bowles. He's not playing well this year. I disagree with your complaints about even if just a year. It was a worthwhile signing that didn't pan out, and doesn't hurt them when signing free agents next year. The problem now is that Bowles keeps playing him. This move is all Bowles, and very little Mac. Mac was wise to give him no pro-rated signing bonus and no guaranteed money beyond this year. One & done is pretty painless. 

Not sure what your beef is with Gilchrist. Not everyone's a superstar, but he's been solid and makes plays. His salary is low this season, and they have lots of room to negotiate him down (or cut him out right) next year. 

What team acquired an effective veteran starter this year? It's easy to identify the problem (the Jets don't have one!), but your offered solution (somehow thru a trade of draft picks, players, and cash) really isn't viable. I know VtF made Mike Glennon a household name around here, but he was never available for trade last offseason. The Bucs had previously dumped McCown, and Glennon was their cheap, experienced backup/insurance card to Winston for this season. No way to pry him out of there without severely overpaying - if at all. 

[Augustiniak]

Much of your rant is about Harris who, while almost certainly overpaid, has hardly done NOTHING! Once again he leads the team in tackles (as he does every year), and he's a high character guy who's a leader on the field and a role model off of it. 

Revis is still one of the best CBs in the game, if not the best anymore (he's still in the discussion). Did Woody want to make a splash there? Maybe. But I'd have to think Maccagnan and Bowles were both looking for a centerpiece for a secondary that desperately needed to be completely overhauled. He was never taking $10M/year (lol!), and would've gotten a similar contract to what the Jets paid him somewhere else. It's what he does. For the Jets part, the last of his guaranteed money is $6M in his third year. So once we get past next year, the team has room to renegotiate/reduce his salary if he's not performing. 

Cro played well last year for Bowles. He's not playing well this year. I disagree with your complaints about even if just a year. It was a worthwhile signing that didn't pan out, and doesn't hurt them when signing free agents next year. The problem now is that Bowles keeps playing him. This move is all Bowles, and very little Mac. Mac was wise to give him no pro-rated signing bonus and no guaranteed money beyond this year. One & done is pretty painless. 

Not sure what your beef is with Gilchrist. Not everyone's a superstar, but he's been solid and makes plays. His salary is low this season, and they have lots of room to negotiate him down (or cut him out right) next year. 

What team acquired an effective veteran starter this year? It's easy to identify the problem (the Jets don't have one!), but your offered solution (somehow thru a trade of draft picks, players, and cash) really isn't viable. I know VtF made Mike Glennon a household name around here, but he was never available for trade last offseason. The Bucs had previously dumped McCown, and Glennon was their cheap, experienced backup/insurance card to Winston for this season. No way to pry him out of there without severely overpaying - if at all. 

it's easy to criticize, harder to offer alternatives.  mccags did a lot in one offseason, but upgrading qb is very hard to do.  i'll assume mccags will focus this offseason on fixing the o-line, adding a real TE and possibly drafting a qb in the first round.  it's important to remember the team has won more games now than they won all last year and it's hard to fix a 4-12 team when you really don't have good qb options.  

[Powpow]

if you think you already know Mac is incompotent, well, I think the most incompotent thing you'll see in your life is in the mirror...

Go drink one of your bottles - you'll feel better about your miserable life.

[RutgersJetFan]

I think we need to define in over his head. If we're classifying this as maybe a narcissistic poster went a little overboard earlier in the year in leading a ridiculously premised round of applause because he hired a scout from the Packers, then yeah, Jets fans probably jumped the gun a little bit.

[Powpow]

 

In May you loved everything Mac did...You've been exposed

Exposed? Hahaha so funny. You guys are just relentless.  Give it break.  Have some egg nog Thursday.  I'm a fan. Excited as any fan would be with the hope we found someone to turn this mess around.  Drafts are up in the air for the most part. I wasn't thrilled with it but was fine with it at the time. Actually still am.  Would I have made a few changes to it, definitely.  As far as free agency is concerned, not so thrilled with his moves WHICH are equally important as the draft.  Not to mention relying on Geno to come through as your starter.           

[Powpow]

No.  That would be stupid.

Now that's phat.

[#27TheDominator]

Don't disagree with some of the individual criticisms, as I shared a few when they happened. But some of them were worthwhile, and understandable, given the setting at the time.

I hate the idea of using a crazy-high pick like that on a RB. Even the toughest guys at that position get injured too easily. I'd rather make the position bullet-proof by bolstering up the OL so even a Thomas Jones or Shonn Greene can look like badasses. Where I think Mac didn't deliver at the RB position is we don't have one under contract after the season's over. From first string to last string, I think they're all FAs in 2016. Situations like that often cause re-signings a GM wouldn't necessarily make if he wasn't in a desperate situation. Look what it did to Tannenbaum when 3 of his 4 WRs (Braylon, Holmes, B.Smith) became FAs in the same offseason. He made himself desperate, and gave Santonio Holmes $20M guaranteed as a direct result. Then that bad situation compounded itself by over-drafting Stephen Hill.

I don't get this part.  You don't like not having a back under contract because that will make you sign somebody you wouldn't necessarily sign?  **** that.  Let them show something or walk.  RB is the most plug and play position around nowadays.  As long as the bodies are in camp they will be ready for the opener.  It isn't like  a QB learning the O or a line taking time to gel.  Better to have no backs under contract and have to sign one than to have the wrong backs under contract and have to live with it.  I'm sure Ray Rice will be available for Joe Willy to start a thread