With Tannenbaum, the Jets Take Risks From the Top

[F.Chowds]

Examine Mike Tannenbaum’s transaction history as the Jets’ general manager, and an obvious pattern emerges. He trades up, he trades down, he trades sideways. He deconstructs, he rebuilds. He acquires players with checkered pasts, hazy presents and promising futures.

Tannenbaum approaches his job as if he were building a fantasy team, adding elite talent first, dealing with roles and chemistry later, with moves that are as bold and audacious as his coach, Rex Ryan. His aggressive style has transformed the Jets. It has also positioned them to strike in this chaotic free-agency period, in which meticulous preparation and sophisticated salary-cap management — two of Tannenbaum’s strengths — are valued.

“There’s no question that Mike is very organized and that he always has a plan,” Charley Casserly, a former general manager of the Washington Redskins and the Houston Texans, said in a telephone interview. “He knows what he wants, and he often gets it.”

A rare instance in which Tannenbaum did not get what he wanted arose Friday night, when the shutdown cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha declined an opportunity to team with Darrelle Revis by agreeing to a five-year, $60 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

For six months, Tannenbaum and his staff had been developing a strategy that they hoped would pilot the Jets to their first Super Bowl since the 1968 season, a strategy that, as he characterized it last week, was “put in pencil.” Until Asomugha opted for the Eagles, Tannenbaum had not needed an eraser.

After identifying which of their three free-agent receivers they preferred to re-sign, the Jets locked up Santonio Holmes almost immediately, retaining him with a five-year contract. The next phase entailed a full-on pursuit of Asomugha, which was a gamble, as the incumbent cornerback and presumed fallback option, Antonio Cromartie, searched for a deal, and another free agent, Johnathan Joseph, signed with the Texans.

In the culture that Tannenbaum and Ryan have nurtured, failing to sign a top free agent is unexpected. But that effort has endeared Tannenbaum to his players, who appreciate a general manager unafraid to take risks.

“We’ve got a lot of question marks, of course, but one thing you know about Mike and Rex, especially, dealing with that type of thing, is that they’re prepared, and they’ve got every scenario going in their heads of how it will play out,” said guard Brandon Moore, who added: “They’re going to do everything possible within the rules to make this team a Super Bowl contender. I think I can sleep well at night, knowing that when we line up against the Cowboys, we’re going to have a pretty good team, ready to make a run.”

Creativity is a Tannenbaum hallmark. As the Jets’ salary cap expert in 1998, he formulated such a complicated deal for Curtis Martin that it became impossible for the New England Patriots to match it. To create salary relief for a possible deal with Asomugha, the Jets conceived different ways to manipulate the cap, including restructuring the contracts of several players. Quarterback Mark Sanchez, for one, had already volunteered.

“I know they’ll position us and acquire the best talent we possibly can with the finances we have,” Sanchez said. “But whatever it takes, whether it’s adjusting contracts, delaying payment, whatever we have to do, our team will do it. I know that. We’ll be unselfish with it. We’ll get it figured out.”

Trading up in drafts has yielded a smorgasbord of talent, from Sanchez to Dustin Keller, David Harris to Shonn Greene. Before they could pursue Asomugha, the Jets jumped 11 spots to select Revis in the 2007 N.F.L. draft. By hanging on to Holmes, Tannenbaum showed that he felt his upside outweighed his off-the-field troubles.

“You have to know what your head coach wants, and he and Rex Ryan make an excellent team,” Casserly said. “Mike has a very experienced scouting staff, and what that tells you is he values good people around him. He’s not intimidated. He listens to what they tell him.”

Tannenbaum can take these calculated risks — like Holmes, like Braylon Edwards, like Cromartie — because of his coach. Ryan is adept at managing and massaging egos, at developing cohesion from diverse personalities, though it is rarely easy. Last September, after Edwards had been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, Ryan lambasted his players for their “embarrassing” behavior. The next Sunday, the Jets won. They won the next week, too, and the week after, and the week after that.

Ryan demurred when asked whether he considers himself a recruiting tool in free agency — “Since I had the lap band surgery, I don’t see myself as quite as big a thing as I used to,” he said — but he is, just as much as Tannenbaum, the cheetah stalking prey on the Serengeti, always ready to pounce.

“Thank goodness that we let Mike handle all of those tough moves,” Ryan said. “I just lean on Mike so I’m not real anxious. I have great confidence that whoever we put out there will have the ability to play and will play like a Jet.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/sports/football/the-jets-tannenbaum-this-is-your-captain-speaking.html?_r=2&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+nyt/rss/Sports+(NYT+%3E+Sports)&utm_content=Twitter&seid=auto&smid=tw-nytimessports

[Integrity28]

Thanks for posting this.

The "Rex and Tanny had not plan B" whiners should read it. They must have forgotten that just because the FO's plans are not plastered all over Twitter it doesn't mean there is no plan.

[F.Chowds]

Thanks for posting this.

The "Rex and Tanny had not plan B" whiners should read it. They must have forgotten that just because the FO's plans are not plastered all over Twitter it doesn't mean there is no plan.

Your welcome In Tanny we trust

[T0mShane]

How cone Tannenbaum only became a "great" GM when Rex became coach?

[Plus One]

How does Tanny have enough fingers for all those rings?

Oh, wait...nevermind.

[tparich]

How cone Tannenbaum only became a "great" GM when Rex became coach?

Because nobody can tell how good the ingrediants are if the chef sucks

[visajets]

How cone Tannenbaum only became a "great" GM when Rex became coach?

Oh come on thats not true, remember Vernon Gholston....

[lamont_jordan_rules]

Examine Mike Tannenbaum’s transaction history as the Jets’ general manager, and an obvious pattern emerges. He trades up, he trades down, he trades sideways. He deconstructs, he rebuilds. He acquires players with checkered pasts, hazy presents and promising futures.

... good stuff!!! ...

... we are very lucky to have mikey t. at the top of our football pyramid!!! ...

l_j_r

[Plus One]

I'd prefer to have a GM who puts together championship teams.

But, Tanny's cool too.

[visajets]

Thanks for posting this.

The "Rex and Tanny had not plan B" whiners should read it. They must have forgotten that just because the FO's plans are not plastered all over Twitter it doesn't mean there is no plan.

Im proud to say im a plan B" whiner.

[slats]

Thanks for posting this.

The "Rex and Tanny had not plan B" whiners should read it. They must have forgotten that just because the FO's plans are not plastered all over Twitter it doesn't mean there is no plan.

I think it's just as premature to say that they have a Plan B in place as it is to say they didn't.

My biggest concern is that a lot of players who could've been a part of a quality Plan B were scooped up while the Jets were still waiting on Plan A, and that now they're onto Plan C.

No, the sky is probably not falling - but they screwed up here and suffered a setback. We have yet to see how much of a setback it is.

[T0mShane]

I'd prefer to have a GM who puts together championship teams.

But, Tanny's cool too.

Come on, bro. He squeezed Jim Leonhard into a cap-friendly deal. That's awesome.

[CTM]

all boils don to sacnhez.. the rest of this is fluff

[Integrity28]

I think it's just as premature to say that they have a Plan B in place as it is to say they didn't.

My biggest concern is that a lot of players who could've been a part of a quality Plan B were scooped up while the Jets were still waiting on Plan A, and that now they're onto Plan C.

No, the sky is probably not falling - but they screwed up here and suffered a setback. We have yet to see how much of a setback it is.

It doesn't matter, the Eagles just won the SuperBowl... who do you think we should take with the first overall pick in the 2012 draft?

[Smashmouth]

all boils don to sacnhez.. the rest of this is fluff

No it does not ! if we dont get the kid weapons

[visajets]

It doesn't matter, the Eagles just won the SuperBowl... who do you think we should take with the first overall pick in the 2012 draft?

Now your saying we will have the worst record in football?

[Integrity28]

Now your saying we will have the worst record in football?

GFY troll.

[CTM]

No it does not ! if we dont get the kid weapons

Brady never had weapons, Manning made his his weapons

[Vicious89x]

all boils don to sacnhez.. the rest of this is fluff

Yup. That's why I think having strong feelings one way or the other doesn't matter. This team will ride and die with Sanchez this year.

[T0mShane]

Brady never had weapons, Manning made his his weapons

Ah. Good. Sanchez just needs to be Peyton Manning.

[Plus One]

Ah. Good. Sanchez just needs to be Peyton Manning.

Yeah, let's not spoil Sanchez with legitimate weapons.

Let's make him go out there and prove what he's made of.

[CTM]

Ah. Good. Sanchez just needs to be Peyton Manning.

No.. our defense is going to be top 5..

Sanchez needs to be pro bowl caliber

Yeah, let's not spoil Sanchez with legitimate weapons.

Let's make him go out there and prove what he's made of.

Hey meathead, I didn't want aso, I wanted weapons for Sanchez. Partly cause I think he's not Manning/Rodgers caliber

[Smashmouth]

Brady never had weapons, Manning made his his weapons

stop comparing everyone to brady and manning its really stupid to do that.

Brady never really put up big stats early in his career he was the total game manager early on and showed a knack for leading big drives in big games. but make no mistake that team was about defense and ball control on offense. While Sanchez did not put up great stats either his first 2 years he has shown us he can be really damn good in the playoffs and clutch when he needs to be. It was our Defense that sh*t the bed in last years AFCCG not Sanchez. We should only have close to the weapons Peyton Manning has had throughout his career.

[CTM]

stop comparing everyone to brady and manning its really stupid to do that.

Brady never really put up big stats early in his career he was the total game manager early on and showed a knack for leading big drives in big games. but make no mistake that team was about defense and ball control on offense. While Sanchez did not put up great stats either his first 2 years he has shown us he can be really damn good in the playoffs and clutch when he needs to be. It was our Defense that sh*t the bed in last years AFCCG not Sanchez. We should only have close to the weapons Peyton Manning has had throughout his career.

The point is you don't need elite skill players to be an elite QB... this is true whether you like it or not

[Smashmouth]

Hey meathead, I didn't want aso, I wanted weapons for Sanchez. Partly cause I think he's not Manning/Rodgers caliber

Do you see the weapons Rodgers and Manning have ? Do you see the weapons they have had their entire careers ? We were heading down the right road with Sanchez although with cast offs they played well now Braylon is gone and we seem overly pre occupied with the defense while we ignore Sanchez

[Smashmouth]

The point is you don't need elite skill players to be an elite QB... this is true whether you like it or not

Um yeah you do ask Kurt Warner. Ask Brady last year when we shut his a$$ down. Ask Peyton when most of his weapons got hurt and we took him out as well. This list can go on and on but weve been down this road .

[CTM]

Do you see the weapons Rodgers and Manning have ? Do you see the weapons they have had their entire careers ? We were heading down the right road with Sanchez although with cast offs they played well now Braylon is gone and we seem overly pre occupied with the defense while we ignore Sanchez

Marvin Harrison is Laverneous Coles with noodle loser throwing him the ball

[serphnx]

Do you see the weapons Rodgers and Manning have ? Do you see the weapons they have had their entire careers ? We were heading down the right road with Sanchez although with cast offs they played well now Braylon is gone and we seem overly pre occupied with the defense while we ignore Sanchez

It does seem a lot of times that the Jets just don't want to have a good offense. It's stupid because if you do get the right skill players on offense you don't really have to touch it much for the next decade. That's probably why people are so high on the Packers, they pretty much have the formula there and have the luxury of just concentrating on defense a lot going forward, with maintenance picks for OL and WRs going forward.

[slats]

Yup. That's why I think having strong feelings one way or the other doesn't matter. This team will ride and die with Sanchez this year.

I largely agree with that. I definitely think Sanchez' improvement should be the Jets #1 concern.

But on the flipside of that, the Jets did manage to get into the AFC Championship Game the last two years more despite Sanchez than because of him. I suspect the supporting cast had something to do with that.

The point is you don't need elite skill players to be an elite QB... this is true whether you like it or not

Is that the point?

So you think Sanchez is an elite QB, then? A QB who doesn't need a solid group of weapons around him to succeed?

I like Sanchez, but I definitely don't think that. So rooting for a team that I don't think has an elite QB, I think him having nice collection of skill players surrounding him is the best way to go. It doesn't have to be Braylon, but I'm not all that interested in Cotchery back at the #2 this year. Especially coming off the injuries.

[THE ILK]

GFY troll.

Thank you!

[villain_the_foe]

How cone Tannenbaum only became a "great" GM when Rex became coach?

Because we didnt get to the AFC Championship prior to Rex. sh*t, Rex is 2 for 2 in respects to getting their. I doubt anyone wouldl hold it against him that he's 0-2 in that situation however.

We had the talent and didnt have the Coach or QB to get us their. Now we just need another piece or two and we can make it to the dance. Not sure if that piece is Plax though. Hopefully we can resign Bray and have plax as a slot along with Jericho.

This would be sick actually.

Todd Heep

Plax

Santonio

Bray

Keller

All on the field at the same time.....scary.

[Jetsfan80]

How cone Tannenbaum only became a "great" GM when Rex became coach?

In Mangini's last season here, we had 7 pro bowlers. He's always been a good GM.

[Aten]

My biggest concern is that a lot of players who could've been a part of a quality Plan B were scooped up while the Jets were still waiting on Plan A, and that now they're onto Plan C.

Being active players in the market for second-tier free agents is not a quality plan B. It's a stupid plan B. That is not where you want to be, least of all this year. Those guys always cost more than they're worth, and that disparity has never been bigger than it is right now at this very moment. The new rookie pay scale has dropped the replacement cost through the floor but demand is still high because the lockout ended and everybody wants to do something just for the sake of doing it.

[SpartanJet]

Remember when their plan "B" in a pinch got them Anthony Schlegel! Good times, that gave me lots of confidence in the FO.

[RutgersJetFan]

Being active players in the market for second-tier free agents is not a quality plan B. It's a stupid plan B. That is not where you want to be, least of all this year. Those guys always cost more than they're worth, and that disparity has never been bigger than it is right now at this very moment. The new rookie pay scale has dropped the replacement cost through the floor but demand is still high because the lockout ended and everybody wants to do something just for the sake of doing it.

This is honestly why I'm pretty confident heading in to this season and even the future. No huge losses, no high-risk moves (at the end of the day Plax is still a 1-year deal), no bad contracts, key players locked up, the embracing of the 'getting younger before you have to' concept, a draft class that really seems to be flying under the radar...etc. I think it's been a fantastic offseason. The quality over quantity theme that Tanny lives by has certainly been out in full force.