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Time for Maccagnan to Shift Philosophy, Extend Enunwa


Maxman

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By Glenn Naughton

As the New York Jets and General Manager Mike Maccagnan prepare to kick off a season that promises to provide very few victories but plenty of opportunities to build toward the future, it’s time for the GM to do something he hasn’t done since his arrival; get one of his young players locked up go a long-term deal before his price tag goes up.

Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa is essentially a unicorn at Florham Park.  He’s a physically gifted, high-ceiling player who has flashed the ability to be a difference maker on offense while staying out of trouble off the field.  A one-of-a-kind draft pick from the short-lived John Idzik era.

Yes, Enunwa did have some brief legal issues during his rookie season after being accused and eventually cleared of domestic violence.  Charges against Enunwa were dismissed with the NFL saying any suspension was “unlikely”. However, the infamous Ray Rice incident put all domestic violence issues under a microscope and the league opted to double back and make an example of Enunwa, suspending him for four games. Since then, Enunwa has been a model citizen.

After spending the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad and being targeted sporadically in year two, Enunwa’s development continued in 2016 when he caught 58 passes for 847 yards and 4 touchdowns, all career highs, despite what could easily be considered the worst quarterback play in the NFL.

Now, entering his fourth pro season, Enunwa becomes Gang Green’s number one receiver with both Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker being shown the door.  With a quarterback depth chart featuring Josh McCown, Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty, nobody knows if this year’s QB play will be better or worse than 2016, but one thing is certain.  If Enunwa sees another uptick in production in 2017 as a the Jets first option, teams will be lining up to give him a big contract.  Should Enunwa continue to improve and produce with middling QB play, imagine what a team like the Colts or Raiders would envision him being with top-tier QB play.

Maccagnan has been faced with the prospect of losing some of his top players entering the final year of their deals in the past with Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.

With Wilkerson, Maccagnan didn’t get a deal done until the eleventh hour, paying a premium with a deal that would pay him roughly $17 million per year.  JetNation confirmed through a source that the team did indeed turn down an offer of a first round draft choice for Wilkerson while entertaining trade offers one offseason earlier.

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Rumors surfaced last season that Maccagnan opted to retain Sheldon Richardson despite being offered a second-round draft choice.

Maccagnan’s handling of Sheldon Richardson was similar in that he is allowing the lineman to enter the final year of his deal after reportedly turning down an offer of a second-round pick from the Dallas Cowboys last season.  Should Richardson keep his nose clean and have a monster 2017, will he pry another monster contract out of the Jets who are projected to have up to $80 million in cap space next year?

Whether or not the Jets have approached Enunwa about an extension up to now is unknown, and it’s unlikely that Jets fans will be getting much positive news in the coming months.  Kicking off training camp by inking Enunwa to a long-term deal would be a big step in the right direction, and a rare moment of satisfaction for a fan base that’s already largely focused on a top-three pick in next year’s draft.

 

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:Peers into crystal ball, sees Enunwa signing a two-year, $15 million dollar contract with the Cowboys, reads endless posts on jetnation dot com saying, "this is how rebuilds work what don't you SOJF loosers understand about that":

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1 hour ago, RSJ said:

It takes two sides to renegotiate a contract. I dont think I would be interested in signing an extension at this point if I was Enunwa.

Possible, but Jamie Collins signed with Cleveland.  If the money is right, and a guy hasn't had a payday yet, his agent may advise him to take it instead if risking injury and getting nothing.

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44 minutes ago, RSJ said:

It takes two sides to renegotiate a contract. I dont think I would be interested in signing an extension at this point if I was Enunwa.

Jets have some leverage in that their team and QBs suck, and Enunwa is being asked to now be a #1 WR and will face #1 CBs and double teams as a result. He could very easily struggle this year. Plus, in the NFL, there's always a good chance of an injury. If Maccagnan came to him with a fair offer, I suspect that they'd be able to hammer something out. 

And yes, Maccagnan needs to get more proactive. 

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5 minutes ago, slats said:

Jets have some leverage in that their team and QBs suck, and Enunwa is being asked to now be a #1 WR and will face #1 CBs and double teams as a result. He could very easily struggle this year. Plus, in the NFL, there's always a good chance of an injury. If Maccagnan came to him with a fair offer, I suspect that they'd be able to hammer something out. 

And yes, Maccagnan needs to get more proactive. 

That'd be some pitch: "Hi Q, we've ruined the roster and, as a result, we've cost you millions of dollars on your next deal. But the good news is that we'll seize upon this fact to sign you long-term."

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10 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

That'd be some pitch: "Hi Q, we've ruined the roster and, as a result, we've cost you millions of dollars on your next deal. But the good news is that we'll seize upon this fact to sign you long-term."

Lol, that would be the unspoken part of the negotiation that Quincy and his agent would probably discuss between themselves. 

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2 hours ago, Paradis said:

Should have extended last year. Now it's going to cost us. 

We couldn't extend him last year. You can't extend a player until after their third year. Last year was Q's third, this is the earliest time we can extend his contract (well okay, January was technically the soonest it could have happened but same difference)

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I'm dont think this is a bet on yourself season for Enunwa. The best upside play might be to wait out this season, sign a one year prove it deal in a good situation, and hope to cash in.

But there's probably a good middle ground that's pays him like a fringe starter and lets him hit FA again in his prime that both sides could be happy with. Jets seem committed to burning it all down though.

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While it could prove to be a stroke of genius to get ahead on this it wouldn't be unjust for the GM to wait the year out either.

He's an RFA, we've got him next year no matter what, and we don't know how well he'll acclimate to this offense and thus we don't know what exactly his value is to us going forward. I think I'd be in favor of a mid-season extension more than anything-  we'd be ahead of the curve but with a much better sense of what he brings to the table than doing it right now.

I remember trying to assign a value to him a couple weeks back, it was difficult to prognosticate. In order to convince a young player about to reach his prime to sign the dotted line on a "discount" deal Mac would need to leave concessions for him to make more after said initial "discount".  

For instance, say they sign him to a deal where he makes half of what the biggest names make (that's above 14 million, so lets say about 7 mil a year)- the concession there could be that this deal only lasts another two years leaving him time to cash in during free agency well into his prime in addition to making more in the meantime than if he had just let this and next year go by without signing a new deal.

Or you give him a deal that works the same way( an average of 7 million over the next couple of years) but you add several (likely unguaranteed) years worth a great deal more than "discount" price so he feels comfortable signing long term.

My point is, Mac needs to be sure he's worth an investment and has to find a way to convince Q and his agent that taking an average to slightly above average price early on is a good deal for him. That's a hard needle to thread.

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4 minutes ago, derp said:

I'm dont think this is a bet on yourself season for Enunwa. The best upside play might be to wait out this season, sign a one year prove it deal in a good situation, and hope to cash in.

But there's probably a good middle ground that's pays him like a fringe starter and lets him hit FA again in his prime that both sides could be happy with. Jets seem committed to burning it all down though.

Like the Terrelle Pryor situation. Looked awesome on an awful team, had to eat a prove-it deal. 

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13 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

Like the Terrelle Pryor situation. Looked awesome on an awful team, had to eat a prove-it deal. 

Yep although I forgot Q is a RFA so I don't think he'll be able to do that.

I do like that they're building a group of young wideouts. Hopefully a quarterback next year. After years of watching the Jets lose games 17-13 I'm ready to watch them lose games 38-34.

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2 hours ago, RSJ said:

It takes two sides to renegotiate a contract. I dont think I would be interested in signing an extension at this point if I was Enunwa.

He will have a long wait.  Pretty sure he will be an RFA next year.    

19 minutes ago, derp said:

I'm dont think this is a bet on yourself season for Enunwa. The best upside play might be to wait out this season, sign a one year prove it deal in a good situation, and hope to cash in.

But there's probably a good middle ground that's pays him like a fringe starter and lets him hit FA again in his prime that both sides could be happy with. Jets seem committed to burning it all down though.

See above.  He will have a long wait.  If the Jets tender him, he will be signing his prove it deal at 27 and trying to cash in at 28.  I would make him an offer now which included giving him real money this year.   I am on record at 4 for $20M with $10M guaranteed.  That would increase his salary over the next two years by approximately $5M total and we would have him for two more at relatively reasonable cost. 

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Extend him now for cheap while he's at his floor of potential. We saw what kinda difference he can make and the talent he has. You'll either be getting a much improved difference maker or at worst a solid contributor you can count on. I think he has zero leverage at this point and would be smart for him to sign. 

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2 hours ago, Tony MaC said:

We couldn't extend him last year. You can't extend a player until after their third year. Last year was Q's third, this is the earliest time we can extend his contract (well okay, January was technically the soonest it could have happened but same difference)

Shhh don't ruin the salty jets fans anger with facts

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Look I love Q and expect him to eventually be offered an extension but am I one of only guys here who want to see how he performs as the #1 guy before paying him. Now I know you take a risk on paying out more if he does live up to this #1 slot he has been given, but I don't think that's much of a concern with 80 million waiting on us. I'd like to see if he is worth a 3..4 year extension with less guaranteed money and a way out of the contract(as Mac is famous for) or if he has the goods to be locked up 5 years.

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1 minute ago, August said:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Mac will let Quincy walk if the other young receivers show promise. 

I don't think so. I mean, for that to happen he'd really have to show low production as the #1 whole simultaneously the younger guys give higher production...which I guess isn't impossible but I just don't think Q screws this up bad enough..new system and new promotion considered.

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56 minutes ago, Larz said:

A smart GM would lock him up on the cheap 

But with him being a RFA and ultimately having control over him even going into next year..it wouldn't be a dumb choice to wait and gauge his production as #1. It's really an either/or type of situation.

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10 hours ago, Larz said:

A smart GM would lock him up on the cheap 

This Decision isn't as easy as it seems. Q Enunwa has never been a number 1 Wr for the Jets. Brandon Marshall was the Wr who received all the attention from opposing DC.( Enunwa was very good in his previous role) .

To give him the money now, without seeing how he responds to  his new role ,(seeing the opposition best CB) is very risky.    

Jmo the most prudent decision is waiting at least half way through the 2017 season to gage how he's doing in his new role on offense.   They have to figure out if he should be paid as number 1, two , or three Wr.

 

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3 hours ago, Raideraholic said:

This Decision isn't as easy as it seems. Q Enunwa has never been a number 1 Wr for the Jets. Brandon Marshall was the Wr who received all the attention from opposing DC.( Enunwa was very good in his previous role) .

To give him the money now, without seeing how he responds to  his new role ,(seeing the opposition best CB) is very risky.    

Jmo the most prudent decision is waiting at least half way through the 2017 season to gage how he's doing in his new role on offense.   They have to figure out if he should be paid as number 1, two , or three Wr.

 

Who said anything about paying him like a no. 1?

 

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14 hours ago, Patriot Killa said:

Look I love Q and expect him to eventually be offered an extension but am I one of only guys here who want to see how he performs as the #1 guy before paying him. Now I know you take a risk on paying out more if he does live up to this #1 slot he has been given, but I don't think that's much of a concern with 80 million waiting on us. I'd like to see if he is worth a 3..4 year extension with less guaranteed money and a way out of the contract(as Mac is famous for) or if he has the goods to be locked up 5 years.

with you on the show me aspect.  quincy had a great season when he was the third guy after marshall and decker. but now he's going to be getting a ton of attention unless peake or anderson or stewart etc emerge as a true no. 1 receiver. it would be great to get this guy re-signed because he is capable of playing at a very high level.  it also sends the message to the rest of the team that they are serious about keeping their players.

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4 hours ago, Raideraholic said:

This Decision isn't as easy as it seems. Q Enunwa has never been a number 1 Wr for the Jets. Brandon Marshall was the Wr who received all the attention from opposing DC.( Enunwa was very good in his previous role) .

To give him the money now, without seeing how he responds to  his new role ,(seeing the opposition best CB) is very risky.    

Jmo the most prudent decision is waiting at least half way through the 2017 season to gage how he's doing in his new role on offense.   They have to figure out if he should be paid as number 1, two , or three Wr.

 

the jets are such an easy sell, it really should take like 1 voice mail to close it.  I'm thinking 4 years, $5 million

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5 hours ago, Raideraholic said:

This Decision isn't as easy as it seems. Q Enunwa has never been a number 1 Wr for the Jets. Brandon Marshall was the Wr who received all the attention from opposing DC.( Enunwa was very good in his previous role) .

To give him the money now, without seeing how he responds to  his new role ,(seeing the opposition best CB) is very risky.    

Jmo the most prudent decision is waiting at least half way through the 2017 season to gage how he's doing in his new role on offense.   They have to figure out if he should be paid as number 1, two , or three Wr.

 

Pretty sure it's not smart to wait and see if he plays really well and to show the team, "hey look i'm all you guys have".  

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3 hours ago, AFJF said:

Who said anything about paying him like a no. 1?

 

So where is your GM pulling out a number to offer Enunwa . He was never the number 1 option at Wr for the Jets.   ( now he's going to see the other team top cb's , and sometimes double coverage). 

Wouldn't you like to see how he did in that new role before commiting long term money to him. ( Jets have to figure out is he more a number two type of Wr , or can he be their number 1 Wr- all that matters as they have to come up with contract that fits his talent.

 

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1 hour ago, Raideraholic said:

So where is your GM pulling out a number to offer Enunwa . He was never the number 1 option at Wr for the Jets.   ( now he's going to see the other team top cb's , and sometimes double coverage). 

Wouldn't you like to see how he did in that new role before commiting long term money to him. ( Jets have to figure out is he more a number two type of Wr , or can he be their number 1 Wr- all that matters as they have to come up with contract that fits his talent.

 

No

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18 hours ago, Patriot Killa said:

I don't think so. I mean, for that to happen he'd really have to show low production as the #1 whole simultaneously the younger guys give higher production...which I guess isn't impossible but I just don't think Q screws this up bad enough..new system and new promotion considered.

It doesn't matter anything short of Enunwa playing at a near elite level and Mac won't have a problem moving on if guys like Anderson, Peake, and a few of the rookies show something. Mac has been moving on from players from past regimes. 

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