Jump to content

Mac’s “Scraps” Continue to Impress


JetNation

Recommended Posts

IMG_1661-1.jpg

When you’re the general manager of a team universally viewed as the worst in the NFL, last-second trades that involve “throw in” or “fringe” players will garner more laughs than praise.

Putting in waiver claims for players let go by franchises who are run by far more accomplished football people shouldn’t register a blip on anyone’s radar, but that’s not how things are looking for GM Mike Maccagnan and the New York Jets right about now.

Prior to the start of the season, Maccagnan traded star defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse.  With countless onlookers and insiders claiming for well over a year that Richardson would never fetch more than a third round pick, Kearse was an afterthought.  A “throw in” of sorts in the minds of many.

Four games in to the season, and Kearse leads the team in receptions with 18 to go along with a pair of touchdowns despite scoring just one all of last season.  Numbers like that aren’t going to get him in to Canton, but they should put to rest any thoughts of him being an afterthought.  Mike Maccagnan was reportedly adamant that Kearse be included in the trade, and now we’re seeing why.

Another last-minute move made by Maccagnan that was widely criticized was the trade of cornerback Dexter McDougle to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for safety Terrance Brooks following McDougle’s most impressive pre-season as a pro.  The deal drew chuckles and laughs from Jets fans who’d had enough safety news after Maccagnan took one in each of the first two rounds of the draft in Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye.   Several weeks later, nobody is laughing at the move.

Brooks has played extensively in Todd Bowles’ defense, picking up a defensive player of the week award last week, while consistently looking steady against the run and the pass.  Meanwhile, McDougle hadn’t played a single snap on defense for the Eagles heading in to their week for contest against the Chargers.

IMG_0897-300x300.jpg

Moving Dexter McDougle before the start of the season has paid dividends early on.

Then of course there was yesterday’s performance of defensive lineman Kony Ealy, a castoff from the New England Patriots whom Maccagnan acquired on a waiver claim.  Ealy showed off some great attributes en route to four batted passes, three quarterback pressures and an interception.  All of this while mourning the loss of his sister just days ago.  How Bill Belichick wasn’t able to find a role for Ealy in his defense is mind-boggling.

These are small sample sizes for a few young players, and the sample size is even smaller for outside linebacker David Bass, a journeyman who has applied consistent pressure on opposing QB’s while picking up a sack in each of his first two games.  Prior to signing with the Jets a couple of weeks ago, Bass had notched just 5.5 sacks in 51 games.

The low-risk/high-reward moves haven’t been limited to players acquired this offseason either as the player who may turn out to be the best of the bunch is tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

Added after being released due to a DUI last season, Seferian-Jenkins appears to have re-committed himself to football and in his first two games back from a suspension because of that same DUI, Seferian-Jenkins has hauled in 9 passes ford 77 yards.  A valuable option in the middle of the field for the Jets offense.  Add another castoff to the list.

It’s early, and any one of these players could fall off the map as quickly as they’ve put themselves on it, but for those fans who were focused primarily on the many acquisitions made by the Jets many months ago, it’s good to see a few new guys fitting right in and making a difference.

 

 

 

Jetnationcom?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Jetnationcom?d=qj6IDK7rITs
Wcb2N3keAtQ

Click here to read the full story...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ealy, ASJ and Kearse look legit.

The others have flashed as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if they fizzle out/level off.

 

NOTE: Sorry Idzik guys and tankers, gonna be more happy Jets fans around for the next week or two, but be patient, you get the stage after NE at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, AFJF said:

Ealy, ASJ and Kearse look legit.

The others have flashed as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if they fizzle out/level off.

 

NOTE: Sorry Idzik guys and tankers, gonna be more happy Jets fans around for the next week or two, but be patient, you get the stage after NE at home.

I think this part of the season has shown that there are worse organizations in the NFL. 

MaccBowles deserve a lot of credit for their scrap heap kicking and the offensive coaching staff they developed.  

It appears that there was some type of defensive intervention.  My guess is that Bowles overdelegated and then he grabbed the wheel.  

I think Macc needs to regrade how he drafts players.  2017 is looking good, at least rounds 1 and 2, although Watson looks real.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, varjet said:

I think this part of the season has shown that there are worse organizations in the NFL. 

MaccBowles deserve a lot of credit for their scrap heap kicking and the offensive coaching staff they developed.  

It appears that there was some type of defensive intervention.  My guess is that Bowles overdelegated and then he grabbed the wheel.  

I think Macc needs to regrade how he drafts players.  2017 is looking good, at least rounds 1 and 2, although Watson looks real.  

Actually it's the opposite, the announcer during yesterday's game said Bowels has let go some of his defense responsibilities so he can be more involved in the whole team.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, varjet said:

I think this part of the season has shown that there are worse organizations in the NFL. 

MaccBowles deserve a lot of credit for their scrap heap kicking and the offensive coaching staff they developed.  

It appears that there was some type of defensive intervention.  My guess is that Bowles overdelegated and then he grabbed the wheel.  

I think Macc needs to regrade how he drafts players.  2017 is looking good, at least rounds 1 and 2, although Watson looks real.  

Add round 6, McGuire looks real good with a great burst

Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, varjet said:

I think this part of the season has shown that there are worse organizations in the NFL. 

MaccBowles deserve a lot of credit for their scrap heap kicking and the offensive coaching staff they developed.  

It appears that there was some type of defensive intervention.  My guess is that Bowles overdelegated and then he grabbed the wheel.  

I think Macc needs to regrade how he drafts players.  2017 is looking good, at least rounds 1 and 2, although Watson looks real.  

That's definitely possible, but if he didn't do that after last years disaster I am not sure he would have done that after 2 games. I think it's more likely that the defense had a couple of rookie safeties, a new CB, lost Sheldon/Harris, added Ealy/Davis and just needed a couple of weeks to figure things out.

It also helps that they were playing Cutler/Bortles, too of the weakest minded QBs in NFL history. They get another "easy" matchup against a Browns team with a rookie QB and bad WRs so I expect this resurgence to continue for one more week. We play the pats/Falcons in the next few weeks, so we'll know if this defense has really turned a corner or was just playing inept offenses. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, AFJF said:

Ealy, ASJ and Kearse look legit.

The others have flashed as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if they fizzle out/level off.

 

NOTE: Sorry Idzik guys and tankers, gonna be more happy Jets fans around for the next week or two, but be patient, you get the stage after NE at home.

I'd like to see Maccagnan try something new and get these guys signed long term sooner rather than later. Kearse is signed thru 2018, but Ealy and ASJ are only signed for this season. These are solid young guys who should be part of the team's core moving forward. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, slats said:

I'd like to see Maccagnan try something new and get these guys signed long term sooner rather than later. Kearse is signed thru 2018, but Ealy and ASJ are only signed for this season. These are solid young guys who should be part of the team's core moving forward. 

Wouldn't mind that one bit.  Keep some of these young pieces around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the emerging narrative that Mac has had to make due with limited resources.

The reason he is putting "scraps" on the field, is because he's not hitting on draft picks, or wasting draft capital in general, and the boatload of cap space he inherited/spent in year 1 was invested in players that are mostly not with the team anymore. 

He's limited to scraps, because he's mismanaged resources for his first 2 seasons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

I like the emerging narrative that Mac has had to make due with limited resources.

The reason he is putting "scraps" on the field, is because he's not hitting on draft picks, or wasting draft capital in general, and the boatload of cap space he inherited/spent in year 1 was invested in players that are mostly not with the team anymore. 

He's limited to scraps, because he's mismanaged resources for his first 2 seasons.

Not at all...many of the draft picks are playing well too.  This was just an article about the great moves in finding other good young players through other means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, AFJF said:

Not at all...many of the draft picks are playing well too.  This was just an article about the great moves in finding other good young players through other means.

Reliance on "other means" is necessitated by mismanaging primary resources.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

I like the emerging narrative that Mac has had to make due with limited resources.

The reason he is putting "scraps" on the field, is because he's not hitting on draft picks, or wasting draft capital in general, and the boatload of cap space he inherited/spent in year 1 was invested in players that are mostly not with the team anymore. 

He's limited to scraps, because he's mismanaged resources for his first 2 seasons.

I was thinking the same thing.

Kearse is under contract for next year, a rich $5mm.

I think at this point Ealy and ASJ have deserved at least a 1 year extension.  That would be smart to do while we have bargaining position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Integrity28 said:

Reliance on "other means" is necessitated by mismanaging primary resources.

So now we've found a way to bash finding quality young players.  

You're smarter than this...not taking the bait.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, AFJF said:

So now we've found a way to bash finding quality young players.  

You're smarter than this...not taking the bait.

I'm not bashing him for finding young players that can contribute through the fringe tactics of resource management.

I'm bashing him for failing to find players through the primary resources afforded to a GM, and having to have to rely on the fringe so heavily.

You should be smart enough to understand the difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

I'm not bashing him for finding young players that can contribute through the fringe tactics of resource management.

I'm bashing him for failing to find players through the primary resources afforded to a GM, and having to have to rely on the fringe so heavily.

You should be smart enough to understand the difference.

I don't expect the GM to hit on every single pick.  I expect him to find a couple of starters and a back up or two in every draft with an UDFA sprinkled in from time to time.  That's about what you get with a good GM.

If he can find a few quality players on waivers and through trades, I'm good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

I'm not bashing him for finding young players that can contribute through the fringe tactics of resource management.

I'm bashing him for failing to find players through the primary resources afforded to a GM, and having to have to rely on the fringe so heavily.

You should be smart enough to understand the difference.

Every team makes trades and brings in free agents. Half the giants defense are high priced free agents. Meanwhile you forget guys like Adams, Mayes, Williams, Anderson, mcguire, Stewart, Shell etc that are all contributing and a few others could be working their way into the rotation.

I know the fire macc crowd isn't happy with the jets success but maccs done a solid job drafting ( not great) and a good job bringing in guys to fill in the gaps without breaking the bank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

I'm not bashing him for finding young players that can contribute through the fringe tactics of resource management.

I'm bashing him for failing to find players through the primary resources afforded to a GM, and having to have to rely on the fringe so heavily.

You should be smart enough to understand the difference.

I think we should measure on the end result. Not the means. Time will tell

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, slats said:

I'd like to see Maccagnan try something new and get these guys signed long term sooner rather than later. Kearse is signed thru 2018, but Ealy and ASJ are only signed for this season. These are solid young guys who should be part of the team's core moving forward. 

+1

Terrance Brooks is a FA too.  Strange to see 3 safeties walk out as Captains for the coin toss, but that certainly seems Bowles-y.  I also find it odd that his 2 INTs got him defensive player of the week, when one should not have been caught.  The Dolphins net 21 yards on that fake punt.  Every kid on the block knows to tell everybody to knock the ball down on 4th down.  I've been doing that since I was 10.  

Ardarius Stewart seems to play hard and looks like he might become a player, but people  counting him as a contributor already is probably a bit premature.  I know he is a draft pick and not a scrap heap pickup, so this thread isn't about him, but Stewart has 3 catches for 34 yards.  The season is 1/4 gone. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Integrity28 said:

I like the emerging narrative that Mac has had to make due with limited resources.

The reason he is putting "scraps" on the field, is because he's not hitting on draft picks, or wasting draft capital in general, and the boatload of cap space he inherited/spent in year 1 was invested in players that are mostly not with the team anymore. 

He's limited to scraps, because he's mismanaged resources for his first 2 seasons.

I was thinking the same thing.

Kearse is under contract for next year, a rich $5mm.

I think at this point Ealy and ASJ have deserved at least a 1 year extension.  That would be smart to do while we have bargaining position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, #27TheDominator said:

+1

Terrance Brooks is a FA too.  Strange to see 3 safeties walk out as Captains for the coin toss, but that certainly seems Bowles-y.  I also find it odd that his 2 INTs got him defensive player of the week, when one should not have been caught.  The Dolphins net 21 yards on that fake punt.  Every kid on the block knows to tell everybody to knock the ball down on 4th down.  I've been doing that since I was 10.  

Ardarius Stewart seems to play hard and looks like he might become a player, but people  counting him as a contributor already is probably a bit premature.  I know he is a draft pick and not a scrap heap pickup, so this thread isn't about him, but Stewart has 3 catches for 34 yards.  The season is 1/4 gone. 

Ardarious Stewart will forever be linked to Pat Elflein.   My theory that Elflein was not picked because we were paying Johnson a healthy RFA contract for 2017.  That may have been a short-sighted move. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, JoJoTownsell1 said:

Every team makes trades and brings in free agents. Half the giants defense are high priced free agents. Meanwhile you forget guys like Adams, Mayes, Williams, Anderson, mcguire, Stewart, Shell etc that are all contributing and a few others could be working their way into the rotation.

I know the fire macc crowd isn't happy with the jets success but maccs done a solid job drafting ( not great) and a good job bringing in guys to fill in the gaps without breaking the bank.

Does every team have to completely purge the roster in order to do a REAL ULTIMATE REBUILD just two years after starting the rebuild, because the prevailing majority of GM moves haven't panned out?

Asking for a friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Integrity28 said:

I like the emerging narrative that Mac has had to make due with limited resources.

The reason he is putting "scraps" on the field, is because he's not hitting on draft picks, or wasting draft capital in general, and the boatload of cap space he inherited/spent in year 1 was invested in players that are mostly not with the team anymore. 

He's limited to scraps, because he's mismanaged resources for his first 2 seasons.

In related news, Jason Pierre Paul has learned how to text using only three fingers. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, AFJF said:

Not at all...many of the draft picks are playing well too.  This was just an article about the great moves in finding other good young players through other means.

If the draft picks are playing well, and the scrapheap guys are playing well, why are we 6-15 in our last 21 games?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

Does every team have to completely purge the roster in order to do a REAL ULTIMATE REBUILD just two years after starting the rebuild, because the prevailing majority of GM moves haven't panned out?

Asking for a friend.

I get it. You don't like Macc. Sorry to break the news to you, he isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So you better start collecting money for all those "Fire Macc" billboards. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, AFJF said:

Ealy, ASJ and Kearse look legit.

The others have flashed as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if they fizzle out/level off.

 

NOTE: Sorry Idzik guys and tankers, gonna be more happy Jets fans around for the next week or two, but be patient, you get the stage after NE at home.

Agreed. The Jets will definitely begin to pile up losses starting with the NE game.

I think Ealy, ASJ, and Kearse are definitely players to move forward with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ealy off waivers, Brooks in a trade, Kearse in a trade, ASJ off waivers last year.

His last two drafts have quite a few disappointments but he's got an eye for fringe talents other teams don't want it seems.

One GM's trash is another's saving play for his job. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...