Jets set out on familiar road, hoping to avoid another dead end

[Gas2No99]

Jets set out on familiar road, hoping to avoid another dead end

 

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan is using the John Idzik philosophy: Dump the old and expensive guys, look for value in free agency and build through the draft. Alan J Schaefer/Icon Sportswire

 

• 
  Rich Cum-in-miESPN's Male Staff Rider

 

This offseason has an Idzik-ian feel to it.

Frankly, it smacks of 2013, when John Idzik moved into the New York Jets' general-manager chair, said goodbye to several popular veterans, traded Darrelle Revis, bargain-shopped his way through free agency (where have you gone, Dimitri Patterson?) and built for 2014 and beyond.

It was a good plan, except for one thing: It didn't work.

Now it's Mike Maccagnan's turn to take a crack at it in his third year.

Basically, he's employing the same philosophy as his predecessor: Dump the old and expensive guys (ironically, Revis), look for value in free agency and build through the draft. It's absolutely the right approach, considering the deterioration of the roster. (By the way, that's partly on Maccagnan, whose "competitive rebuild" failed to yield the desired results.)

So what's the difference between now and then?

If you want to believe the Jets will get it right this time, if you want to believe that remaining relatively quiet on the first day of free agency was part of the grand plan and not just a case of getting shut out, then you have to place your trust in Maccagnan.

Maccagnan made a few terrific moves in 2015, winning NFL Executive of the Year, but those acquisitions lost their luster after a year, contributing to 5-11 and the team's current plight. I'd still bet on Maccagnan over Idzik, but he has a lot to prove.

You have a right to be skeptical. The Jets tear it down every few years, telling their customers to be patient and to trust the process. It's hard, especially when you see the Patriots making big moves on Day 1.

Meanwhile, the Jets did nothing of major consequence.

They reached out to Jay Cutler, released Thursday by the Bears. He's the most accomplished free-agent quarterback on the market, but he's not the right fit for the Jets. This is a fluid situation, as the Jets are checking into other quarterbacks as well.

What about Brock Osweiler, who probably will be on the move again after being traded to the Browns in the most stunning move of Day 1? No quarterback with a pulse can be ruled out. The market should crystallize once the Tony Romo saga is settled.

It's all about the quarterback in the NFL, and Maccagnan still hasn't solved that riddle.

The first wave of free agency is about half over, as 25 of the top 50 on ESPN's top 150 list have picked new teams. As far as I can tell, the Jets weren't seriously involved with any of them. Oh, sure, they flirted with a few, namely quarterback Mike Glennon, safety Tony Jefferson and linebacker Nick Perry, but the prices weren't in their range.

There was some crazy money thrown around, including a $19 million guarantee for Glennon and a total of $81.5 million in guarantees doled out by the Browns (not including Osweiler). It looks like the Jets are waiting for the second wave, when they can shop for bargains.

They're probably out of the offensive-line market after re-signing left tackle Ben Ijalana (two years, $11 million) and tendering center Wesley Johnson at the second-round level ($2.7 million). This doesn't mean they're finished with the overhaul, but it sounds like the heavy lifting is done until the draft.

They tendered cornerback Marcus Williams at the second-round level, but they still need to add reinforcements. They passed on the top corners, probably because of the price tags and because the draft is so deep at the position. Tight end is another huge need, but there are a few good ones in the draft.

You can see where this is going. The Jets are counting on the draft to replenish their talent-starved roster. In the meantime, they will test your patience and loyalty, as big names continue to come off the free-agent board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jetster]

This is not the same at all. Go back & look at that 2013 roster & show me anyone as good and as young as Leonard Williams. Plus we have 2 very young starting LBs in Lee & Jenkins, younger Olineman now in Carpenter/Johnson/Winters/Shell/Ijalana. We have a MUCH BETTER receiving core with Decker/Enunwa/Anderson/Peake/Smith/J.Marshall. We have a younger TE in ASJ (Obviously need another), Burris played pretty well, obviously the secondary is an issue but this draft is loaded, this is similar to Idzik in that we needed WRs in a loaded WR draft & he MISSED on all of them except Quincy. Macc needs to hit on this drafts CBs & Safeties.

We have a 22 year old QB we really know nothing about yet. We have 2 serviceable RBs, Forte will be cut next year so we do need to draft a RB. We're not filling as many holes but the ones we need to fill CB, LT, Safety,TE, Its crucial we get as many picks as we can to increase our % of success. I know a lot of you guys don't like Macc & his scouts but I would have loved to see what he did with 17 picks in 2 years compared to the scarecrow. I'm still a Macc believer, its never easy for any organization that doesn't have a QB in place, damn near impossible really.

[Gee Andrezzi]

1 hour ago, Jetster said:

This is not the same at all. Go back & look at that 2013 roster & show me anyone as good and as young as Leonard Williams. Plus we have 2 very young starting LBs in Lee & Jenkins, younger Olineman now in Carpenter/Johnson/Winters/Shell/Ijalana. We have a MUCH BETTER receiving core with Decker/Enunwa/Anderson/Peake/Smith/J.Marshall. We have a younger TE in ASJ (Obviously need another), Burris played pretty well, obviously the secondary is an issue but this draft is loaded, this is similar to Idzik in that we needed WRs in a loaded WR draft & he MISSED on all of them except Quincy. Macc needs to hit on this drafts CBs & Safeties.

We have a 22 year old QB we really know nothing about yet. We have 2 serviceable RBs, Forte will be cut next year so we do need to draft a RB. We're not filling as many holes but the ones we need to fill CB, LT, Safety,TE, Its crucial we get as many picks as we can to increase our % of success. I know a lot of you guys don't like Macc & his scouts but I would have loved to see what he did with 17 picks in 2 years compared to the scarecrow. I'm still a Macc believer, its never easy for any organization that doesn't have a QB in place, damn near impossible really.

Agree with everything almost spot on...

besides the part about nobody as good and young as LEO Williams..

sheldon was the defensive Rookie if the year and a pro bowler, his character issues started after that season.

But nonetheless, we do have a a lot of youth on both sides of the ball and after this draft we should be set on defense, only missing piece is the QB (which Hack still has a great chance to be) Jeremy bates was jay cutler's QB coach in '08 and '12 in Denver and Chicago. Those 2 years are the only years jay cutler was a pro bowler his entire career.

If Jeremy bates made a pro bowler out of cutler on 2 different occasions...there is definitely hope he can make Hack a serviceable starter at the least.

hack and cutler have a lot of similarities physically (big arm, mobile, prototype QB size)

 

[Ex-Rex]

1 hour ago, Gas2No99 said:

It was a good plan, except for one thing: It didn't work.

It didn't work because Idzik was not a personnel guy and he drafted poorly - mainly because he leaned heavily on Rex Ryan who is as much a personnel guy as I am. That was his big mistake. He hit on Richardson, sort of, missed on Geno Smith, maybe. Definitely missed on Milliner, so basically Brian Winters and Richardson are all the Jets have to show for that draft. Then he bungles the first round by picking Pryor - who sucks - and then gets Dozier who is an ok backup and Enunwa who might be a future star. Maccagnan has done much better and I hope he continues to.

[JiFtheOracle]

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

[UnitedWhofans]

Just now, JiF said:

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

He did make his bed, but as Raiderholic said about Reggie McKenzie, he was able to get out of it with very little damage done. The fact that I understood why he made his bed that way also lightens the load a bit.

I am a staunch defender of Maccagnan, but he needs to hit this draft. We know he can draft better than Idzik (not a difficult task)

But he needs to buckle down and hit in this draft

[Ex-Rex]

Just now, JiF said:

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

Mac did what he was ordered to do by Woody Johnson. I doubt if Mac wanted to give Revis that huge contract, nor do I think he really wanted Fitzpatrick back. It pretty much is the same situation though they may have reached it through different means. Idzik DID have a major cleanup job when he came in but his drafts were abyssmal while Mac seems to have brought in some good young talent. I see you are a Mets fans as well as a Jets fan, so I can see why you are always so negative. You never have ANYTHING to look forward to. Being  a Yankees fan, I can at least enjoy most of my summer into the fall.

[Gas2No99]

5 minutes ago, Ex-Rex said:

Mac did what he was ordered to do by Woody Johnson. I doubt if Mac wanted to give Revis that huge contract, nor do I think he really wanted Fitzpatrick back. 

+1

That's the "competitive rebuild" that implicated Woody meddling in to keep the Jets relevant in the NYC sports market.

[JiFtheOracle]

8 minutes ago, UnitedWhofans said:

He did make his bed, but as Raiderholic said about Reggie McKenzie, he was able to get out of it with very little damage done. The fact that I understood why he made his bed that way also lightens the load a bit.

I am a staunch defender of Maccagnan, but he needs to hit this draft. We know he can draft better than Idzik (not a difficult task)

But he needs to buckle down and hit in this draft

What does this mean?  The damage is the Jets are currently the worst team in Football with the least amount of hope.  I think that's pretty bad damage after 2 years on the job. 

[NoBowles]

15 minutes ago, JiF said:

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

If Idzik took Carr, Bridgewater or Garrapolo, we are likely in pretty good shape as a franchise. Too bad he didn't, because he put all his eggs in the Geno Smith stank basket.

[slats]

8 minutes ago, JiF said:

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

 

And Idzik did nothing genius, basically exercising the escape clauses built into those veteran contracts by Tannenbaum. 

Mac's real crime, the crime of the whole current so-called brain trust, was believing that 10-6 season wasn't the mirage that it was. The Jets had the easiest schedule in the league, and week after week played those weak teams with their best players out of the line-up. I don't think Fitz threw the ball in cold or wet weather once against the depleted secondaries he faced. Rather than believing the hype, the football people in charge should've recognized what they really had there: a team that had no business being discussed as a potential playoff team. 

I don't completely buy into this concept that they were directed how to navigate free agency by Woody Johnson. He's the popular and easy scape-goat. But it might explain the confidence Mac seems to have this year, clearly headed in the direction of a full rebuild like a guy who's got some sort of guarantee that he won't be losing his job any time soon. 

[JiFtheOracle]

9 minutes ago, Ex-Rex said:

Mac did what he was ordered to do by Woody Johnson. I doubt if Mac wanted to give Revis that huge contract, nor do I think he really wanted Fitzpatrick back. It pretty much is the same situation though they may have reached it through different means. Idzik DID have a major cleanup job when he came in but his drafts were abyssmal while Mac seems to have brought in some good young talent. I see you are a Mets fans as well as a Jets fan, so I can see why you are always so negative. You never have ANYTHING to look forward to. Being  a Yankees fan, I can at least enjoy most of my summer into the fall.

I dont believe for one second that Woody ordered Mac to add a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster and blow draft picks.  Maybe he pushed him on Revis.  Maybe.  But I dont think his vision was a rebuild 3 years into a rebuild after a season that got so out of control that a "black cloud" covered the locker room since week 3.  

Outside of Leo, I fail to see any impressive young talent (maybe Robbie Anderson) on this roster.  The QB situation is an absolute disaster.  They're legitimately considering bringing Geno Smith back to be their starter.  It doesnt get more ****ed than that, my man.  And all of this was predictable and easy to see but it was ignored and here we are. Mac has made nothing but miscalculated steps after another. 

I'm a Jets, Mets, Knicks, Islanders fan.  My life as professional sports fan sucks the big one.  It's like being a fan of Cleveland sports.  Thank god for my brains getting me into Florida because pro Sports hates me with a passion.

[JiFtheOracle]

4 minutes ago, NoBowles said:

If Idzik took Carr, Bridgewater or Garrapolo, we are likely in pretty good shape as a franchise. Too bad he didn't, because he put all his eggs in the Geno Smith stank basket.

Idzik was one of the worst GM's in the history of sports.  The problem is, I'm not sure Mac is any better. 

[HessStation]

1 hour ago, Jetster said:

This is not the same at all. Go back & look at that 2013 roster & show me anyone as good and as young as Leonard Williams. Plus we have 2 very young starting LBs in Lee & Jenkins, younger Olineman now in Carpenter/Johnson/Winters/Shell/Ijalana. We have a MUCH BETTER receiving core with Decker/Enunwa/Anderson/Peake/Smith/J.Marshall. We have a younger TE in ASJ (Obviously need another), Burris played pretty well, obviously the secondary is an issue but this draft is loaded, this is similar to Idzik in that we needed WRs in a loaded WR draft & he MISSED on all of them except Quincy. Macc needs to hit on this drafts CBs & Safeties.

We have a 22 year old QB we really know nothing about yet. We have 2 serviceable RBs, Forte will be cut next year so we do need to draft a RB. We're not filling as many holes but the ones we need to fill CB, LT, Safety,TE, Its crucial we get as many picks as we can to increase our % of success. I know a lot of you guys don't like Macc & his scouts but I would have loved to see what he did with 17 picks in 2 years compared to the scarecrow. I'm still a Macc believer, its never easy for any organization that doesn't have a QB in place, damn near impossible really.

I keep forgetting about Jenkins. Maybe not ever gonna be a all pro edge rusher but he did seem to do some nice things and can maybe evolve into a Mo Lewis type player if he can hit ceiling. 

[NoBowles]

1 minute ago, JiF said:

Idzik was one of the worst GM's in the history of sports.  The problem is, I'm not sure Mac is any better. 

He may not be. The reality is we have one of the worst owners in the history of sports, and its going to be hard to get a good GM with such a bad owner, so we are pretty much screwed. This is why we need to suck for sam!

[phill1c]

6 minutes ago, JiF said:

What does this mean?  The damage is the Jets are currently the worst team in Football with the least amount of hope.  I think that's pretty bad damage after 2 years on the job. 

Actually, the amount of hope for the Jets is a personal thing. So, you can only speak for yourself. And, really, if you personally have so little hope, why is that every time I come onto this site, I see you posting? Either you have more hope than you admit or you're a loser with nothing better to do than constantly criticize a team you have no hope for.

That said, the Jets two main issues were "offense and defense". The third was special teams. But the talent, I think, is significantly improved. There are some key reasons why it didn't show last year:

1. QB: the Jets chose poorly. They went with Fools Gold and paid dearly for that.
2. Sheldon Richardson: a disruptive force...but only to his unit.
3. Dead weight on the OL.

These things can be fixed. And, FINALLY, we are not in a "win now" mode. I think this is reason for significant hope.

[JiFtheOracle]

2 minutes ago, slats said:

And Idzik did nothing genius, basically exercising the escape clauses built into those veteran contracts by Tannenbaum. 

Mac's real crime, the crime of the whole current so-called brain trust, was believing that 10-6 season wasn't the mirage that it was. The Jets had the easiest schedule in the league, and week after week played those weak teams with their best players out of the line-up. I don't think Fitz threw the ball in cold or wet weather once against the depleted secondaries he faced. Rather than believing the hype, the football people in charge should've recognized what they really had there: a team that had no business being discussed as a potential playoff team. 

I don't completely buy into this concept that they were directed how to navigate free agency by Woody Johnson. He's the popular and easy scape-goat. But it might explain the confidence Mac seems to have this year, clearly headed in the direction of a full rebuild like a guy who's got some sort of guarantee that he won't be losing his job any time soon. 

I dont recall claiming Idzik was genius for anything.  He was a disaster.  The rest of your post is spot on and pretty much what I said above. 

The real question I have is; if Todd Bowles continues to show that he's completely incompetent as Head Coach, does Mac get to pick his own? 

[Jetster]

13 minutes ago, JiF said:

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

Macc didn't draft Pryor who played pretty well in 2015 & fell off a cliff last year. I guarantee you that Woodys fingerprints are ALL OVER bringing Revis back at that outrageous number. Macc tried to patch up a HORRIFIC secondary that he inherited from Idzik by going after what was available (Skrine/Gilchrist). Idzik completely botched the draft with Pryor/Milliner/McDougal, these swing & misses KILLED the Jets & forced Macc into fraud agency. Hell, Burris was a 3rd rounder & he's better than any of the scrubs Idzik drafted for the secondary. Macc also had enough regarding the Fitz situation & wasn't helped one bit by Bubba Gump Bowles anointing the 2016 starter when he wasn't under freaking contract, stupid azz! It was Macc that put a date & a time on Fitz, he was done playing around. Macc was damned if he did & damned if he didn't regarding Fitz. Had he NOT signed Fitz & we went 5-11, every f*cking Jet fan would have KILLED HIM and you know it! "OMG, if we had just signed Fitz we'd be in the playoffs!", you all know damn well how that would have played out.

[JiFtheOracle]

1 minute ago, phill1c said:

Actually, the amount of hope for the Jets is a personal thing. So, you can only speak for yourself. And, really, if you personally have so little hope, why is that every time I come onto this site, I see you posting? Either you have more hope than you admit or you're a loser with nothing better to do than constantly criticize a team you have no hope for.

That said, the Jets two main issues were "offense and defense". The third was special teams. But the talent, I think, is significantly improved. There are some key reasons why it didn't show last year:

1. QB: the Jets chose poorly. They went with Fools Gold and paid dearly for that.
2. Sheldon Richardson: a disruptive force...but only to his unit.
3. Dead weight on the OL.

These things can be fixed. And, FINALLY, we are not in a "win now" mode. I think this is reason for significant hope.

This

[phill1c]

5 minutes ago, slats said:

And Idzik did nothing genius, basically exercising the escape clauses built into those veteran contracts by Tannenbaum. 

Mac's real crime, the crime of the whole current so-called brain trust, was believing that 10-6 season wasn't the mirage that it was. The Jets had the easiest schedule in the league, and week after week played those weak teams with their best players out of the line-up. I don't think Fitz threw the ball in cold or wet weather once against the depleted secondaries he faced. Rather than believing the hype, the football people in charge should've recognized what they really had there: a team that had no business being discussed as a potential playoff team. 

I don't completely buy into this concept that they were directed how to navigate free agency by Woody Johnson. He's the popular and easy scape-goat. But it might explain the confidence Mac seems to have this year, clearly headed in the direction of a full rebuild like a guy who's got some sort of guarantee that he won't be losing his job any time soon. 

Last season was the best possible outcome:

• Lost enough to remove all reasonable possibility that winning could be done with the then current cast
• Prime position in the draft.

In order for that to happen, you have to lose and lose badly. Mission accomplished.

[JoJoTownsell1]

Gas2no99, well played. Very subtle. 

[slats]

4 minutes ago, JiF said:

I dont recall claiming Idzik was genius for anything.  He was a disaster.  The rest of your post is spot on and pretty much what I said above. 

The real question I have is; if Todd Bowles continues to show that he's completely incompetent as Head Coach, does Mac get to pick his own? 

 

 

My comment was mostly in contrast to Cimini's article, not to you. Calling what Mac is doing "Idzikian" suggests that Idzik did something creative and new. In reality, this board had pretty much mapped out every cut he made months before the beginning of that league year. 

I quoted your post because I agreed with you. 

[JiFtheOracle]

1 minute ago, Jetster said:

Macc didn't draft Pryor who played pretty well in 2015 & fell off a cliff last year. I guarantee you that Woodys fingerprints are ALL OVER bringing Revis back at that outrageous number. Macc tried to patch up a HORRIFIC secondary that he inherited from Idzik by going after what was available (Skrine/Gilchrist). Idzik completely botched the draft with Pryor/Milliner/McDougal, these swing & misses KILLED the Jets & forced Macc into fraud agency. Hell, Burris was a 3rd rounder & he's better than any of the scrubs Idzik drafted for the secondary. Macc also had enough regarding the Fitz situation & wasn't helped one bit by Bubba Gump Bowles anointing the 2016 starter when he wasn't under freaking contract, stupid azz! It was Macc that put a date & a time on Fitz, he was done playing around. Macc was damned if he did & damned if he didn't regarding Fitz. Had he NOT signed Fitz & we went 5-11, every f*cking Jet fan would have KILLED HIM and you know it! "OMG, if we had just signed Fitz we'd be in the playoffs!", you all know damn well how that would have played out.

The entire Fitzpatrick situation from the onset was a mistake.  From how Bowles handled him to how Mac handled the negotiation.   And it's the main reason why the Jets are where they are right now.  At the bottom of the barrel of the entire league.

Every Jets fan would have killed him not bring back Fitz?  You must have missed last offseason with dozens of posters who were screaming the top of their lungs that resigning Fitz was a mistake at any cost. 

I knew how this all was going to play out from the second Todd Bowles stuck with Fitz.  And here we are. 

 

[Bleedin Green]

21 minutes ago, JiF said:

Please.

Idzik inherited a sh*tty veteran laden team with a bunch of sh*t bags on the roster.  Mac built a sh*tty veteran laden team and added a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster.  Idzik was fixing the mistake of the former regime.  Mac is currently fixing his ******* sh*t brained mistakes.  Mac put us in the mess.  Idzik for as sh*tty as he was, was not responsible for the state of the roster when he took over.  Mac made his bed.  Lets not act these are even remotely comparable situations. 

Without even the slightest bit of defense to Mac, you are being way too kind to Idzik.  Cutting a bunch of guys doesn't take some sort of genius, especially when you do absolutely nothing to address it once you have the opportunity (i.e., the Jets 2014 offseason).  Not only were his drafts awful, his FA was a disaster too, with what little he attempted to do with it.  The only difference being that pile of garbage he brought in wasn't enough to still be a thought in our minds.  You can't be using the locker room of the team as a defense for Idzik when this is the same guy who brought in the likes of Vick, Giacomini, Harvin, Goodson, and Patterson.  These guys brought all of the same awful veteran vibe with them, without contributing anything.  Idzik was awful at his job, from top to bottom.  If you feel similarly about Mac then so be it, but this is a pretty sad attempt to suddenly prop up Idzik's immeasurable level of awfulness.

[NoBowles]

1 minute ago, JiF said:

The entire Fitzpatrick situation from the onset was a mistake.  From how Bowles handled him to how Mac handled the negotiation.   And it's the main reason why the Jets are where they are right now.  At the bottom of the barrel of the entire league.

Every Jets fan would have killed him not bring back Fitz?  You must have missed last offseason with dozens of posters who were screaming the top of their lungs that resigning Fitz was a mistake at any cost. 

I knew how this all was going to play out from the second Todd Bowles stuck with Fitz.  And here we are. 

 

For arguments sake, can you please tell me how if Fitzpatrick is never signed last year, we are in any better position right now? I read daily what a travesty it was, but I am yet to see one logical explanation of how we are in any better position right now if he was not signed. Im hoping you can give me one, because I want to jump on board.

[CanadaSteve]

2 hours ago, Gas2No99 said:

This offseason has an Idzik-ian feel to it.

Frankly, it smacks of 2013, when John Idzik moved into the New York Jets' general-manager chair, said goodbye to several popular veterans, traded Darrelle Revis, bargain-shopped his way through free agency (where have you gone, Dimitri Patterson?) and built for 2014 and beyond.

It was a good plan, except for one thing: It didn't work.

 

And why didn't it work?  Because John Idzik had 19 draft picks in two years and sh*t the bed on virtually all of them.....IF Mac can hit on 1/2, it will be a different outcome.

[phill1c]

1 minute ago, JiF said:

I knew how this all was going to play out from the second Todd Bowles stuck with Fitz.  And here we are. 

I don't think you understand where we are:

• Prime draft position
• Lots of cap space
• eliminated dead wood
• no need to "win now" with fools gold.

The jury is certainly out on Todd Bowles. But...maybe he's learned some things and maybe he won't be saddled with the old heads, simply sucks, and head cases he's had so far.

[Dcat]

14 minutes ago, JiF said:

I dont believe for one second that Woody ordered Mac to add a bunch of sh*t bags to the roster and blow draft picks.  Maybe he pushed him on Revis.  Maybe.  But I dont think his vision was a rebuild 3 years into a rebuild after a season that got so out of control that a "black cloud" covered the locker room since week 3.  

Outside of Leo, I fail to see any impressive young talent (maybe Robbie Anderson) on this roster.  The QB situation is an absolute disaster.  They're legitimately considering bringing Geno Smith back to be their starter.  It doesnt get more ****ed than that, my man.  And all of this was predictable and easy to see but it was ignored and here we are. Mac has made nothing but miscalculated steps after another. 

I'm a Jets, Mets, Knicks, Islanders fan.  My life as professional sports fan sucks the big one.  It's like being a fan of Cleveland sports.  Thank god for my brains getting me into Florida because pro Sports hates me with a passion.

I grew up in Queens and  I was almost 9 when my Joe Namath led Jets won Superbowl 3, but remember it well.  And the great Knicks team winning a pair of Championships as well... and the Mets defeating the mighty Orioles in 5 games too.  Riding on cloud nine as a young fan of these champions. and there I thought that I was set for life as a pro-sports fan with these teams.  Deluded child that I was.

50 years later, long past Patrick Ewing... here we are.  Only the Mets are decent but there have been very few years of that.  

#depressed

[#27TheDominator]

6 minutes ago, slats said:

I quoted your post because I agreed with you. 

How dare you!

[SAR I]

11 minutes ago, slats said:

Mac's real crime, the crime of the whole current so-called brain trust, was believing that 10-6 season wasn't the mirage that it was. The Jets had the easiest schedule in the league, and week after week played those weak teams with their best players out of the line-up. I don't think Fitz threw the ball in cold or wet weather once against the depleted secondaries he faced. Rather than believing the hype, the football people in charge should've recognized what they really had there: a team that had no business being discussed as a potential playoff team.

Perfectly stated.

And the Jets have done this time and time again, they just can't ever see the team objectively.  Whether Kotite going 1-15 after 3-13, O'Donnell believed to be the savior, Edwards and Ryan being extended after losing the locker room, Testaverde and Pennington sticking around too long on shattered bodies, or Sanchez being jettisonned too soon, our ownership is just completely on a different planet from reality.

SAR I

[JiFtheOracle]

2 minutes ago, Bleedin Green said:

Without even the slightest bit of defense to Mac, you are being way too kind to Idzik.  Cutting a bunch of guys doesn't take some sort of genius, especially when you do absolutely nothing to address it once you have the opportunity (i.e., the Jets 2014 offseason).  Not only were his drafts awful, his FA was a disaster too, with what little he attempted to do with it.  The only difference being that pile of garbage he brought in wasn't enough to still be a thought in our minds.  You can't be using the locker room of the team as a defense for Idzik when this is the same guy who brought in the likes of Vick, Giacomini, Harvin, Goodson, and Patterson.  These guys brought all of the same awful veteran vibe with them, without contributing anything.  Idzik was awful at his job, from top to bottom.  If you feel similarly about Mac then so be it, but this is a pretty sad attempt to suddenly prop up Idzik's immeasurable level of awfulness.

 

 

What are you reading?  I didnt give any credit to anyone.  Idzik was one of the worst GM's in the history of sports.

I just said the situations are not comparable because one guy inherited the mess and the other guy created the mess. 

Pretty sad attempt?  lol  What attempt? 

[SAR I]

1 minute ago, Dcat said:

I grew up in Queens and  I was almost 9 when the jets won Superbowl 3, but remember it well.  And the great Knicks team winning a pair of Championships as well... and the Mets defeating the mighty Orioles in 5 games too.  Riding on cloud nine as a young fan of these champions. and there I thought that I was set for life as a pro-sports fan with these teams.  Deluded child that I was.

50 years later, long past Patrick Ewing... here we are.  Only the Mets are decent but there have been very few years of that.  

#depressed

Yankees and Rangers saved me from that oblivion.  I have no idea why I am a Jets fan.  I should have picked the Giants in the 7th grade cafeteria that September day, idiot.

SAR I

[phill1c]

5 minutes ago, NoBowles said:

For arguments sake, can you please tell me how if Fitzpatrick is never signed last year, we are in any better position right now? I read daily what a travesty it was, but I am yet to see one logical explanation of how we are in any better position right now if he was not signed. Im hoping you can give me one, because I want to jump on board.

the travesty is that we'd probably BE IN THE SAME POSITION, but maybe with a couple of better pieces surrounding the QB hole. And maybe, just maybe, we would have already identified our QB starter for this year.

I mean, seriously, how dumb do you have to be to ask "how might things be different if we didn't have the statistically worst starting QB in the league under center?" For one, it wouldn't have been the bore-fest Jets games were most of the time. Secondly, maybe we actually score more than 17 points a game. Thirdly, maybe we don't have to go through games thinking "he played good enough to win...except for that late, game-clinching turnover..."

[sourceworx]

9 minutes ago, slats said:

And Idzik did nothing genius, basically exercising the escape clauses built into those veteran contracts by Tannenbaum. 

Mac's real crime, the crime of the whole current so-called brain trust, was believing that 10-6 season wasn't the mirage that it was. The Jets had the easiest schedule in the league, and week after week played those weak teams with their best players out of the line-up. I don't think Fitz threw the ball in cold or wet weather once against the depleted secondaries he faced. Rather than believing the hype, the football people in charge should've recognized what they really had there: a team that had no business being discussed as a potential playoff team. 

I don't completely buy into this concept that they were directed how to navigate free agency by Woody Johnson. He's the popular and easy scape-goat. But it might explain the confidence Mac seems to have this year, clearly headed in the direction of a full rebuild like a guy who's got some sort of guarantee that he won't be losing his job any time soon. 

I doubt Mac (or any GM) would blow up the roster and be inactive in free agency if he did not feel that his job was safe. 

Bowles is a different story. Barring a miracle (like Hackenberg turning into an NFL QB this year), he's a lame duck coach.

[JiFtheOracle]

4 minutes ago, NoBowles said:

For arguments sake, can you please tell me how if Fitzpatrick is never signed last year, we are in any better position right now? I read daily what a travesty it was, but I am yet to see one logical explanation of how we are in any better position right now if he was not signed. Im hoping you can give me one, because I want to jump on board.

We really need to do this again?  Isnt this the conversation that got you booted and had to start a new user name?  

Closure on the QB positoin.  Fitz did nothing for that.  Now?  The Jets are considering bringing Geno back.  It's exactly what I was talking about this time 2015 and 2016 offseason.  They needed to know what they had in the kids.  2015/2016 was all about validating Geno>Petty>Hack.  Instead, we got Fitz'd.