Mike Maccagnan's.. 'Innocent climb' is over, big challenges ahead for Jets GM ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Mike Maccagnan joined the general manager's Monopoly game last year with a fist full of money and a "Get-out-of-jail-free" card. He was aggressive and splurged for expensive property, including Boardwalk (Darrelle Revis). He wound up passing "Go" 10 times -- not enough to claim victory, but enough to be named Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America.

New year, new game.

After a successful rookie season as the New York Jets' GM, Maccagnan hopes to build on what he started, but the circumstances have changed. He doesn't have as much cash to spend and a large percentage of his assets are tied up in a couple of property areas, leaving him vulnerable on other sides of the board. Amid these challenges, he still has to figure out a way to match the wealth of his filthy rich neighbors, the New England Patriots.

This won't be an easy encore for Magic Mike.

Unofficially, the offseason kicks off Tuesday in Indianapolis, where the football world gathers for the post-Super Bowl Super Bowl -- the scouting combine. The Jets made their first big move on Monday, releasing cornerback Antonio Cromartie. His ouster was only a small part of a master plan that will unfold over the next few weeks. It created $8 million in cap room (with no "dead" money), giving them an estimated $21 million in space, based on a projected $155 million cap.A year ago, Maccagnan walked into Fort Knox, inheriting more than $50 million in cap space. (Thank you, John Idzik.) He added talent to the roster, raising the Jets from the sewer (4-12) to respectability (10-6). Maccagnan, a career scout sitting in the big chair for the first time, demonstrated the right mix of aggressiveness and patience, executing a well-designed plan.

What he did, though, wasn't much different than what Mike Tannenbaum and Idzik did in 2006 and 2013, respectively. In their first season, Maccagnan's predecessors got the organization moving in the right direction, but in their quest to achieve sustainable success -- to use a line of corporate-speak from the Idzik handbook -- they, um, failed. Tannenbaum gave it a run over seven years, but his handiwork from 2006 to 2010 deteriorated quickly.

Maccagnan, a fan of classic rock, has to prove he's not a one-hit wonder. He will arrive in Indianapolis facing a number of challenges, many of which are connected. Among the biggest :

1. He must resolve the Muhammad Wilkerson situation without hurting the team's chances in 2016. The ideal outcome would be a long-term contract extension. Failing that, Maccagnan must decide whether the exorbitant cost of the franchise tag (an estimated $15.5 million) would hurt their ability to improve the roster. If his answer is yes, he will explore a tag-and-trade, but can he justify dealing away his best defensive player?

2. He'd make his coach very happy by re-signing nose tackle Damon Harrison, a pending free agent, but he has to be mindful of the defensive-line payroll. Counting the Wilkerson tag, the Jets would have $22.9 million in cap space devoted to Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardsonand Leonard Williams. If they re-up with Harrison, they'd have roughly 20 percent of the cap devoted to the defensive line. How much is too much?

3. His starting quarterback will hit the open market in two weeks. Ryan Fitzpatrick earned a pay day, but the Jets have to be careful not to over-commit financially.

4. He has no healthy running backs under contract and only one starting linebacker, David Harris.

5. He has one of the oldest offensive lines in the league -- and the most expensive. The Jets have a league-high $38.6 million in cap funds devoted to the line. Ideally, they'd like to get younger and cheaper, but it's hard to accomplish that without sacrificing quality.

People who know Maccagnan say he's a cool customer and he won't be pressured into knee-jerk decisions, but the landscape has changed. The "innocent climb," as Pat Riley calls it, is over for the Jets. Expectations will be greater in 2016.

They could sure use a little help from the community chest.

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[Mainejet]

I completely agree with this article. In fact, I think naming MacCagnan executive of the year might have been a little premature. ANYONE can succeed in a one year period with 50 million in cap space.

I am a MacCagnan fan thus far. I think he did a nice job drafting and I love the free agents he went out and got.

But from here on forward is where he'll be earning his money. There's no more shopping sprees to be had, at least not any time soon. This offseason is much more important because DRAFTING will be key. He's going to have to find those very talented players that are still very much unproven.

Because Mo Wilkerson will likely be a tag and trade casualty, he'll have extra picks at his disposal. Replenishing the talent and then some will be the expectation. The point is to build a SB winner, not just some team that's going to win 10 games every season and miss the playoffs.

If he hits on the Jets current draft picks and also on the extra he'll likely have from Mo's departure, that could set the team up for sustained success and winning for the foreseeable future. ANYTHING less than a playoff spot and a win in the playoffs will be considered a disappointment.

Tanny was a terrible failure at it after really doing well in his first two seasons. He drafted the likes of Vladimir Ducasse and Stephen Hill. Those were players the Jets were counting on to replace departing/retiring veterans. Instead, they were terrible and barely belonged on a football field. It put the Jets short on talent for a long time thereafter. No playoffs. No hope for the playoffs.

I don't want Mac to become what Tanny was, but who knows if he can be successful over the long haul?