John Idzik

[funaz]

While I didn't like Idzik and many of the things he did, the one thing I will credit him for is cleaning up our cap. He let guys like Landry, Keller, Slauson and the like go to FA when Rex's loyalty would have kept them all here if it was Tanny at the GM spot. He arrived when the Jets were in cap hell. Many people seem to forget that. We were log jammed and he made many tough decisions. What his decisions led to was a bunch of freed up money and 12 draft picks. It was perfectly executed. His problem was that he didn't have an eye for talent and blew one of the bigger opportunities this franchise has had to revamp the team. 40 mil and 12 picks. Crazy that he did almost nothing outside of Decker.

And if he would have signed Revis right back from the bucs after finding Sheldon he would have been seen as a genuis. Too bad really.

Idzick doesn't get credit for clearing our cap. Tanny does. He built all the contracts in such a way that we had a reset year.

All idzick did was execute Tannts cap clearing plan, then failed at bringing in talent.

[ylekram]

Idzick doesn't get credit for clearing our cap. Tanny does. He built all the contracts in such a way that we had a reset year.

All idzick did was execute Tannts cap clearing plan, then failed at bringing in talent.

apparently, without a written document, there are some who just cant see it, as obvious as it is

[ylekram]

somebodies argument is getting completely destroyed in this thread. there should be a white flag shortly

[Jetmech]

Idzick doesn't get credit for clearing our cap. Tanny does. He built all the contracts in such a way that we had a reset year.

All idzick did was execute Tannts cap clearing plan, then failed at bringing in talent.

True statement.

[GREENBEAN]

Idzick doesn't get credit for clearing our cap. Tanny does. He built all the contracts in such a way that we had a reset year.

All idzick did was execute Tannts cap clearing plan, then failed at bringing in talent.

I understand your point, but to say that tanny had a cap clearing plan is absurd. He never did that in the 6 years he was here. He would have brought back Landry, Keller Sanchez etc or any combination of the guys we let go. Tanny was highly susceptible to Rex's hard on for players.

Once again, I'm not an Idzik supporter, but I also am not beyond acknowledging the few positives he accomplished.

[nyjets782]

somebodies argument is getting completely destroyed in this thread. there should be a white flag shortly

Unfortunately the Idzik apologists are suffering from a severe case of delusion so I doubt we will see them wave a white flag.  Amazingly an awkward, stubborn, uncharismatic, penny-pinching man who was disgracefully inept at evaluating college and pro talent still has supporters.  Scary but true.

[slats]

I understand your point, but to say that tanny had a cap clearing plan is absurd. He never did that in the 6 years he was here. He would have brought back Landry, Keller Sanchez etc or any combination of the guys we let go. Tanny was highly susceptible to Rex's hard on for players.

Once again, I'm not an Idzik supporter, but I also am not beyond acknowledging the few positives he accomplished.

I don't know if Tanny had an actual plan or not, but I do know that all of Idzik's moves were easily predicted here before he made them. It's possible that Tanny lined the contracts up in such a way. Either way, Idzik didn't do anything to cut cap costs that a bunch of message board novices couldn't've come up with - because we did.

What he did do which was impressive was to actually make a very weak roster significantly worse in just two years, despite 19 draft picks and plenty of cap room available in year two. Not everyone could do that.

[JetsFanInDenver]

somebodies argument is getting completely destroyed in this thread. there should be a white flag shortly

 

No one is defending Idzik. Least of all me. I have been the one to point out his mistakes like drafting Jalen Saunders and the lack of decent WR's out of the draft way before the chorus was onto it. But you have to look at the other side of the coin. On the flip side of the coin he did do a lot of good things for the team. I would think most people here have  the football smarts to comprehend that. And if they do not it's their loss.

[Gastineau Lives]

John Idzik couldn't recognize an injury issue causing a very bad year for a player on his own team, leaving that player to sign for the same amount of money that he went on to spend on a guy playing the same position who couldn't EVER stay healthy and had NEVER been close to being as good as the guy he let go and who wound up never playing a down for his 7th team in 10 years; leaving us to sign Player A back for nearly three times as much.

[slats]

No one is defending Idzik. Least of all me. I have been the one to point out his mistakes like drafting Jalen Saunders and the lack of decent WR's out of the draft way before the chorus was onto it. But you have to look at the other side of the coin. On the flip side of the coin he did do a lot of good things for the team. I would think most people here have  the football smarts to comprehend that. And if they do not it's their loss.

A lot? What's his legacy besides Ivory, Richardson, and cap room?

And when the Jets selected Richardson, fans were jumping out of their windows because it was proof positive that Rex was still running everything. A narrative that's gotten lost because he's great. If he was Vernon Gholston II, I'm sure he'd still be regarded as a Rex pick.

[nyjets782]

No one is defending Idzik. Least of all me. 

Uh, okay.  Seems like that's all you are doing.

 

 

On the flip side of the coin he did do a lot of good things for the team. I would think most people here have  the football smarts to comprehend that.

A LOT of good things??... you keep pointing to the same 4 things out of 2 years and acting like that's a great percentage.  The statement that EVERY move wasn't bad is a weak 4ss argument.

[JetsFanInDenver]

A lot? What's his legacy besides Ivory, Richardson, and cap room?

And when the Jets selected Richardson, fans were jumping out of their windows because it was proof positive that Rex was still running everything. A narrative that's gotten lost because he's great. If he was Vernon Gholston II, I'm sure he'd still be regarded as a Rex pick.

 

It's not like he was in the GM seat for a long long time. He only had two drafts. And its too early to judge his draft class, specially the last one. He traded Revis away when he was coming of an injury when there was minimal market for him. He got us Eric Decker with a great contract who was the #1 WR FA available in the FA market. And the contract's he handed out were fair value. Not once did anyone feel that we overpaid. But on the face of it not many can say Cro's contract is not overpaid. Heck as far as I know they did not even release the details of that contract.

 

All his moves did not work out but it did not set us back by a few seasons. We could always move forward with minimal hit to the cap. I hope this doesn't happen BUT if Maccag's moves do not work out and this team underperforms OR get's bitten by the injury bug we will take our time digging out from it.

 

Fans can say what they want. who cares. But at the end of the day the success or failure of the pick rests on the GM. You know that.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Uh, okay.  Seems like that's all you are doing.

 

 

A LOT of good things??... you keep pointing to the same 4 things out of 2 years and acting like that's a great percentage.  The statement that EVERY move wasn't bad is a weak 4ss argument.

 

Go back to the chorus. That's all you can do chorus boy!

[nyjets782]

Go back to the chorus. That's all you can do chorus boy!

Another brilliant and witty retort by a dimwitted little contrarian who's had his 15 minutes of fame on this blog praising and grandstanding for an abject failure.  Crawl back in your hole...

[nyjets782]

All his moves did not work out but it did not set us back by a few seasons.

I could be a GM and pick my rear end for 2 offseasons and it wouldn't set us back by a few seasons either.... great point.

 

And I would guess that whiffing on 16 draft picks in 2 years will definitely set us back. 

[JetsFanInDenver]

Another brilliant and witty retort by a dimwitted little contrarian who's had his 15 minutes of fame on this blog praising and grandstanding for an abject failure.  Crawl back in your hole...

 

Yawn. What were u saying chorus boy ?

[JetsFanInDenver]

I could be a GM and pick my rear end for 2 offseasons and it wouldn't set us back by a few seasons either.... great point.

 

And I would guess that whiffing on 16 draft picks in 2 years will definitely set us back. 

 

A smart person would know its too early too judge a draft in one season. A smart person would know that all that cap space cleared is the reason why we could go on a spending spree this off season. Anyone with the slightest football smarts would.

 

But chorus boy is an idiot. So keep singing your tired  song of set us back by a few seasons.

[Freemanm]

Are you serious? You're actually thanking him for, in essence, not fielding a competitive team in both 2013 and 2014? Are you thanking him for ignoring the Jets' desperate need at cornerback? Maybe you're thanking him for those 10 out of 12 picks that turned out to be either scrubs or players made out of glass?

If you're being sarcastic with your post, then I'm laughing with you.

[sackdance]

A lot? What's his legacy besides Ivory, Richardson, and cap room?

 

How about his rationale of selecting Geno on the cheap and then trying to foist the Age of Geno on our franchise? He didn't realize that Michael Vick doesn't take the football end of things terribly seriously and his 2014 draft was putrid.  

 

I thank him for the cap room and don't care if I ever hear of him again.

[sirlancemehlot]

Jets fans have such a short memory.  This team had one of the worst cap situations in the NFL when Idzik took over.  The Jets were utterly cash-strapped and still unsuccessful.  A total rebuild was in order with no money to fund it.  Two years after Idzik came in, we have one of the best cap situations in the league (which allowed Mac to bring in any players he felt like signing), as well as adding 16 draft picks in two seasons--regardless of the picks' value to the team last season.  Amaro, Richardson, Pryor, McDougle, Dozier, Milliner, Geno, Aboushi, Bohannon, Evans, Enunwa, Enemkpali, and Reilly are all on the roster right now.  Did he spend on Revis or Cro or DRC last year?  Nope.  Because this team wasn't a contender and he isn't foolish.  He did pick up Harvin after heavy pressure and a bunch of bad press led by Manish Mehta and some billboards, but even that contract and trade were reasonable for a one year rental.  Idzik is a guy who scrimped and saved to have a sound future, but got taken in a divorce and now his ex wife is spending all her ill-gotten money on cars and suits for the well-hung pool boy.  You don't have to like him, but lets not pretend he was cheap for the fun of it.  He had a plan that likely needed three or four years to institute after being handed a difficult task of fixing a bad team.  He got two years and never had his own coach.  This doesn't prove Idzik was incompetent.  it proves Woody is child chasing bubbles in the yard.  He just can't seem to find the one he wants so goes after all of them.  And never catches any. John Idzik was shafted and he deserved at least one year with his own coach and the huge pile of cash he accumulated.  one make-or-break season.  He got walking papers from his spineless boss instead.  And ridicule from Jets fans who are now set up to reap the benefits of his efforts.  An unpopular view is not necessarily the wrong one.  Mac seems to love his new-found popularity, but Idzik, the nerd sitting alone at the lunch table, did an excellent job that will never be recognized.  Because he inherited a horrible team and turned it around in two seasons.  But didn't put the Jets on the back page often enough.

[T0mShane]

Look at what Rex is doing to the Buffalo roster and tell me again how he was victimized by two evil GMs. The ******* guy is giving Tyrod Taylor a legitimate chance to start.

[roscoeword]

Jets fans have such a short memory.  This team had one of the worst cap situations in the NFL when Idzik took over.  The Jets were utterly cash-strapped and still unsuccessful.  A total rebuild was in order with no money to fund it.  Two years after Idzik came in, we have one of the best cap situations in the league (which allowed Mac to bring in any players he felt like signing), as well as adding 16 draft picks in two seasons--regardless of the picks' value to the team last season.  Amaro, Richardson, Pryor, McDougle, Dozier, Milliner, Geno, Aboushi, Bohannon, Evans, Enunwa, Enemkpali, and Reilly are all on the roster right now.  Did he spend on Revis or Cro or DRC last year?  Nope.  Because this team wasn't a contender and he isn't foolish.  He did pick up Harvin after heavy pressure and a bunch of bad press led by Manish Mehta and some billboards, but even that contract and trade were reasonable for a one year rental.  Idzik is a guy who scrimped and saved to have a sound future, but got taken in a divorce and now his ex wife is spending all her ill-gotten money on cars and suits for the well-hung pool boy.  You don't have to like him, but lets not pretend he was cheap for the fun of it.  He had a plan that likely needed three or four years to institute after being handed a difficult task of fixing a bad team.  He got two years and never had his own coach.  This doesn't prove Idzik was incompetent.  it proves Woody is child chasing bubbles in the yard.  He just can't seem to find the one he wants so goes after all of them.  And never catches any. John Idzik was shafted and he deserved at least one year with his own coach and the huge pile of cash he accumulated.  one make-or-break season.  He got walking papers from his spineless boss instead.  And ridicule from Jets fans who are now set up to reap the benefits of his efforts.  An unpopular view is not necessarily the wrong one.  Mac seems to love his new-found popularity, but Idzik, the nerd sitting alone at the lunch table, did an excellent job that will never be recognized.  Because he inherited a horrible team and turned it around in two seasons.  But didn't put the Jets on the back page often enough.

This is a great post, and whether one agrees or not, it causes one to think.  It's like the Knicks firing Phil Jackson before he completes his plan, and letting someone else spend the money. 

[T0mShane]

Jets fans have such a short memory. This team had one of the worst cap situations in the NFL when Idzik took over. The Jets were utterly cash-strapped and still unsuccessful. A total rebuild was in order with no money to fund it. Two years after Idzik came in, we have one of the best cap situations in the league (which allowed Mac to bring in any players he felt like signing), as well as adding 16 draft picks in two seasons--regardless of the picks' value to the team last season. Amaro, Richardson, Pryor, McDougle, Dozier, Milliner, Geno, Aboushi, Bohannon, Evans, Enunwa, Enemkpali, and Reilly are all on the roster right now. Did he spend on Revis or Cro or DRC last year? Nope. Because this team wasn't a contender and he isn't foolish. He did pick up Harvin after heavy pressure and a bunch of bad press led by Manish Mehta and some billboards, but even that contract and trade were reasonable for a one year rental. Idzik is a guy who scrimped and saved to have a sound future, but got taken in a divorce and now his ex wife is spending all her ill-gotten money on cars and suits for the well-hung pool boy. You don't have to like him, but lets not pretend he was cheap for the fun of it. He had a plan that likely needed three or four years to institute after being handed a difficult task of fixing a bad team. He got two years and never had his own coach. This doesn't prove Idzik was incompetent. it proves Woody is child chasing bubbles in the yard. He just can't seem to find the one he wants so goes after all of them. And never catches any. John Idzik was shafted and he deserved at least one year with his own coach and the huge pile of cash he accumulated. one make-or-break season. He got walking papers from his spineless boss instead. And ridicule from Jets fans who are now set up to reap the benefits of his efforts. An unpopular view is not necessarily the wrong one. Mac seems to love his new-found popularity, but Idzik, the nerd sitting alone at the lunch table, did an excellent job that will never be recognized. Because he inherited a horrible team and turned it around in two seasons. But didn't put the Jets on the back page often enough.

Whoever ended up taking Rex out into the yard and putting a bullet into him was always going to be scorned, not only because of the act, but because that person was going to be the one who officially confirmed the ignorance of those who continued to support Rex. It's the same bitterness people feel for the uncle who told them Santa Claus wasn't real.

[slats]

Jets fans have such a short memory.  This team had one of the worst cap situations in the NFL when Idzik took over.  The Jets were utterly cash-strapped and still unsuccessful.  A total rebuild was in order with no money to fund it.  Two years after Idzik came in, we have one of the best cap situations in the league (which allowed Mac to bring in any players he felt like signing), as well as adding 16 draft picks in two seasons--regardless of the picks' value to the team last season.  Amaro, Richardson, Pryor, McDougle, Dozier, Milliner, Geno, Aboushi, Bohannon, Evans, Enunwa, Enemkpali, and Reilly are all on the roster right now.  Did he spend on Revis or Cro or DRC last year?  Nope.  Because this team wasn't a contender and he isn't foolish.  He did pick up Harvin after heavy pressure and a bunch of bad press led by Manish Mehta and some billboards, but even that contract and trade were reasonable for a one year rental.  Idzik is a guy who scrimped and saved to have a sound future, but got taken in a divorce and now his ex wife is spending all her ill-gotten money on cars and suits for the well-hung pool boy.  You don't have to like him, but lets not pretend he was cheap for the fun of it.  He had a plan that likely needed three or four years to institute after being handed a difficult task of fixing a bad team.  He got two years and never had his own coach.  This doesn't prove Idzik was incompetent.  it proves Woody is child chasing bubbles in the yard.  He just can't seem to find the one he wants so goes after all of them.  And never catches any. John Idzik was shafted and he deserved at least one year with his own coach and the huge pile of cash he accumulated.  one make-or-break season.  He got walking papers from his spineless boss instead.  And ridicule from Jets fans who are now set up to reap the benefits of his efforts.  An unpopular view is not necessarily the wrong one.  Mac seems to love his new-found popularity, but Idzik, the nerd sitting alone at the lunch table, did an excellent job that will never be recognized.  Because he inherited a horrible team and turned it around in two seasons.  But didn't put the Jets on the back page often enough.

Turned it around? He took over a bad team and left it worse. But with cap space.

[drdetroit]

Big overlap between Idzik defenders and Mangini defenders. Neither one will have a job in the nfl in 2 years

[drdetroit]

This is a great post, and whether one agrees or not, it causes one to think. It's like the Knicks firing Phil Jackson before he completes his plan, and letting someone else spend the money.

Apples and oranges comparison.

Nfl has a hard cap and contracts are not 100% guaranteed. Most of the time nfl contracts have very little guaranteed money or none at all.

Nba has a soft cap, all contracts are guaranteed.

It is a lot trickier rebuilding in the nba

[freestater]

The cap room Idzik supposedly saved us, was there from Tannenbaum. All Idzik did was make three obvious cuts (Sanchez, Scott, Holmes) because that's the way Mikey T. set it up. The singular success from the abysmal failure that is John Idzik was/is Sheldon Richardson. The rest was the result of a dumpster-diving GM who was in over his head.

[drdetroit]

The cap room Idzik supposedly saved us, was there from Tannenbaum. All Idzik did was make three obvious cuts (Sanchez, Scott, Holmes) because that's the way Mikey T. set it up. The singular success from the abysmal failure that is John Idzik was/is Sheldon Richardson. The rest was the result of a dumpster-diving GM who was in over his head.

The cap also increased 15% this year. Guess Idzik deserves credit for that 2

[RichardTodd27]

You guys realize we could have had Revis and Cro last season right? Instead Idzik wasted $5 mil on The dog-killer qb and scrubs like Patterdon.

Leaving 20 Million in cap space and failing to land a WR in one of the most WR rich drafts in history also did him in.

[ylekram]

The cap room Idzik supposedly saved us, was there from Tannenbaum. All Idzik did was make three obvious cuts (Sanchez, Scott, Holmes) because that's the way Mikey T. set it up. The singular success from the abysmal failure that is John Idzik was/is Sheldon Richardson. The rest was the result of a dumpster-diving GM who was in over his head.

as slats stated above, had Richardson become a bust, it would have been a rex pick. since Richardson became a stud, it has become idziks pick

[Jetmech]

You guys realize we could have had Revis and Cro last season right? Instead Idzik wasted $5 mil on The dog-killer qb and scrubs like Patterdon.

I'm curious as to why WJ didn't force JI hand signing Revis last year?

I'm speaking for myself, trading Revis was a major disappointment but did it take him two years to figure out it pissed off many Jets fans?

[Larz]

think there have been some awkward moments at the jaguars offices ?

[Jetmech]

People keep saying this, but I don't believe it to be true. Revis signed with the Pats late in free agency and he signed a contract that gave him 12mil and an out. There's no way in hades Revis was going to sign that kind of deal with the Jets and it would have been utterly stupid for the Jets to sign him to that kind of deal if he wanted to take it.

Revis was either coming to the Jets for the type of contract he signed this year or he wasn't coming. Guess what, he didn't come. Revisionist history can be written to fit the desires of the writer, but doesn't have to be base on anything but one's own wishful thinking.

Possibly, maybe it was Revis rolling the dice for a one year prove it deal considering he was on an awful Bucs team and one year removed from ACL surgery. His agents sure know what there doing..

[ylekram]

Jets fans have such a short memory.  This team had one of the worst cap situations in the NFL when Idzik took over.  The Jets were utterly cash-strapped and still unsuccessful.  A total rebuild was in order with no money to fund it.  Two years after Idzik came in, we have one of the best cap situations in the league (which allowed Mac to bring in any players he felt like signing), as well as adding 16 draft picks in two seasons--regardless of the picks' value to the team last season.  Amaro, Richardson, Pryor, McDougle, Dozier, Milliner, Geno, Aboushi, Bohannon, Evans, Enunwa, Enemkpali, and Reilly are all on the roster right now.  Did he spend on Revis or Cro or DRC last year?  Nope.  Because this team wasn't a contender and he isn't foolish.  He did pick up Harvin after heavy pressure and a bunch of bad press led by Manish Mehta and some billboards, but even that contract and trade were reasonable for a one year rental.  Idzik is a guy who scrimped and saved to have a sound future, but got taken in a divorce and now his ex wife is spending all her ill-gotten money on cars and suits for the well-hung pool boy.  You don't have to like him, but lets not pretend he was cheap for the fun of it.  He had a plan that likely needed three or four years to institute after being handed a difficult task of fixing a bad team.  He got two years and never had his own coach.  This doesn't prove Idzik was incompetent.  it proves Woody is child chasing bubbles in the yard.  He just can't seem to find the one he wants so goes after all of them.  And never catches any. John Idzik was shafted and he deserved at least one year with his own coach and the huge pile of cash he accumulated.  one make-or-break season.  He got walking papers from his spineless boss instead.  And ridicule from Jets fans who are now set up to reap the benefits of his efforts.  An unpopular view is not necessarily the wrong one.  Mac seems to love his new-found popularity, but Idzik, the nerd sitting alone at the lunch table, did an excellent job that will never be recognized.  Because he inherited a horrible team and turned it around in two seasons.  But didn't put the Jets on the back page often enough.

as far as the draft idziks drafts go, it is still too early to judge the drafts as a whole. the problem I had with his drafts were the top half of them. round 4 and under. who in their right mind drafts a 1 dimensional safety, who was not that good in college, with the 18th pick? especially with potential starting qb's and #1 wide receivers on the board? this was a kyle brady pick right there. this one pick was just plain stupid. some of his other late round picks I don't have a problem with and you are right. they are still on the team and could possibly progress to quality players

 the rest of this long winded book you wrote, I disagree with word for word

[T0mShane]

as slats stated above, had Richardson become a bust, it would have been a rex pick. since Richardson became a stud, it has become idziks pick

You guys are trying too hard.