The Lost Boys....

Here's my annual post about the New York Jets. For over half a decade this franchise has been a disaster. And after suffering through another putrid season we are no closer to becoming an elite team, or even a winning one.

In January of 2011 the Jets lost to the Steelers in the AFCCG. Since then we have had 4 of 7 seasons with a losing record, 4 defensive linemen drafted in the first round, 3 GM's and zero playoff appearances. We haven't had one single offensive player drafted in the first round since Mark Sanchez in 2009. If we go defense in the 2018 draft that will be a DECADE without drafting a 1st rounder to address an entire half of the squad. It has to be one of the dumbest steaks in pro sports. And it speaks to the short sightedness of this franchise as a whole.

Short sightedness is directly linked to intelligence IMHO.  Woody Johnson has proven over and over that he simply can not see the big picture. If he had any clue he would stop hiring rookie head coaches and GM's... again and again and again. A sports franchise, in the most popular sport in America, in the biggest media market in America, with one of the most independently wealthy owners... needs to begin to operate by a simple mission statement, one that worked for Mercedes Benz: "The Best Or Nothing".

Too many Jets fans have been complacent and settle for 2nd best. Thats why our coaching staffs and front office teams have been among the lowest paid in the league. Here's a news bulletin Mr Johnson, there is no salary cap on any part of your team besides the player roster. You weren't smart or savvy enough to build your own stadium that would have been the flagship of the league, you've handed out money to players via ill-advised contracts that have suffocated your salary cap more often than not.

BUT, one thing that you have complete control of is spending your money on the absolute best coaching candidate that is available. One who can create a wining culture, bring an elite group of assistant coaches with him and attract top flight free agents. They don't grow on trees, but this offseason there is one out there. His name is Jim Harbaugh. He is a proven winner and for the right price he could be had. There could be as many as 12-14 teams looking for new HC's. Why not focus on winning the offseason before it officially begins??

There's no question in my mind that Todd Bowles simply doesn't have what it takes to be an HC. He is not CEO material. He's a checkers mind in a chess league and he has no balls. He has also brainwashed many of our young players with his 'loser logic'.  So, if we start there, the next question is: what is there to gain by retaining him in 2018? The answer is nothing. So if we are going to get into the HC market, do we want to get stuck in a game of musical chairs where we end up with the 9th best candidate? We don't want some other teams sloppy seconds.

Chris Johnson has a very brief window to make his mark in the NFL. Who knows how long our remedial owner will hold his position as ambassador to England. If he does half as bad as he has done in the NFL Trump might have him ousted before the start of the 2019 season. If I'm CJ I am going all in. Land the best coach money can buy and then see if he and Macc want to work together. If Harbaugh doesn't want him I am 100% sure he will have a top replacement ready to move his desk right into Macc's office.

I am not as down on Macc as I am with Bowles. I can take him of leave him. I like some of his trades and a few of his draft picks. And I love his Michael Corleone style approach this past offseason. He clipped the overpaid, overhyped lazy veterans one by one. He even had the guts to put one in Revis's eye like he was Mo Green. I think it is promising that he was able to see that huge changes were needed. He set it up so that this team could make a huge jump this offseason with a top 10 pick in every round, and nearly 100 million to spend in free agency. Sadly if Bowles and Co. are retained we simply won't attract elite free agents and any we do sign we will have to overpay for.

Anyone that knows football knows that Bowles surviving 2018 is almost impossible. Top FA's don't want to move their families to a new city just to have a shake up less than a year later. They also don't want to go to a losing team if they are in demand.

So lets assume Harbaugh wants to work with Macc. I could see him retaining Morton as OC since he worked with him previously in San Fran. Pep Hamilton and Greg Roman could easily be part of the offensive staff as well. The defensive side of the ball would be the more intriguing one regarding coaches. I think it would be interesting to land both Pagano brothers. Chuck and John may both be on the market if there is a shake up on their respective coaching staffs. Steve Spagnolia will most likely be up for grabs and not having to move his family could be the deal maker if he is the target. I do hope that Kevin Greene stays on our staff. Our young LB's, especially Jenkins and Lee really showed growth this year under his tutelage.

With the key pieces that we already have in place on our roster I'd like to see us move to a 4-3/ Tampa Two system. We have a young, fast group of defenders. Obviously Lee would be freed up and much more impactful with 4 defensive linemen in front of him. Williams is a dynamic hybrid who could play anywhere on a 4-3 D line. We don't have a true 3-4 outside LB as a pass rusher, so we aren't tied to our current system in any way. And frankly Adams has struggled in man coverage his rookie season. I think letting him roam and play some more zone might make use of his playmaker potential a little better. He's special.

As for the offense, I am comfortable saying that Robbie Anderson is a #1 WR. What he has done with Fitzpatrick and McCown as his QB's is scary. Imagine a REAL QB like Alex Smith throwing him the ball. And yes, I'd do whatever necessary to make Smith a Jet in 2018, especially if Harbaugh were our coach. I'd be willing to put a 5th round pick on the table and absorb his current salary... or wait for his inevitable release and deal with the bidding war that will occur. Either way a 2 year deal for 45 million with 30 guaranteed would essentially be a 1 year deal, that gives us the option of dumping him in 2019 if we want to. He'd earn 25 mil for 2018 and we eat 5 million the next year if we cut ties. If he ends up having a career year we have him locked up for a second year.

That being said we also need to use our top 10 draft pick on a QB. Hopefully we are building a long term winner here, not a typical Woody Johnson 'go for broke' one year wonder. A QB depth chart consisting of Alex Smith, Josh Rosen and Christian Hackenberg would be ideal. I could also see Smith, McCown and a rookie 1st rounder.

For the record I am a Rosen/ Mayfield man. Darnold and Allen do not interest me. And I am very intrigued by Lamar Jackson from Louisville. Nonetheless, this is going to be a QB draft we talk about for a long time, and I feel like Macc's master plan has been to pass on guys like Lynch, Watson, Mahomes and Keizer to wait for this draft class. At least I hope he has a plan.

The players on our current offensive roster who I would keep in 2018 are Kearse, Anderson, Enunwa, Hansen, Stewart, Peake, ASJ, Tomlinson, Leggett, McGuire, Beachum, Shell, Winters, Harrison and Johnson. I think we need two top free agent O linemen so that guys like Johnson and Shell can move to their natural role of rock solid 2nd stringers. I think Carpenter is a waste of money. He's wildly inconsistent. I'd cut or trade him if there are any takers.

You may notice that Powell isn't on my list of keepers. It's certainly not because he isn't an outstanding player. My issue is that he is closing in on 30 and his best years (the time when he should have been our featured RB) were 15', 16' and 17'. We missed that train because of Todd Bowles. I think #29 could seriously help us more as trade bait this offseason. I could see our top 10 2nd round pick combined with Powell being enough ammo to move up into the mid 1st round if there is a player we covet. The Raiders and Packers could both use a guy like Powell and they would only be moving down less than 30 spots, less than a full round. And keep in mind, we have more than one 2nd round pick because of the Richardson trade to the Seahawks.

OR what if we package our 1st round pick (probably around #6) and Powell to swap with the Giants and go get Rosen? I'm just saying, Powell can be an important chess piece for us this offseason.

There are a few interesting free agents that could hit the market this offseason. The Ravens Ryan Jenson and the Panthers Andrew Norwell could elevate out O-line from a C- to an A very quickly. DE Demarcus Lawrence from Dallas would be a great player to replace the fat lazy loser who currently wears #96 on our roster. Dion Lewis and Malcolm Butler should both be available from the Patriots. What I don't want is our team going out and spending big on a WR. I like the group we have. Paul Richardson is a guy from Seattle that I might consider if we dumped or traded Kearse. Richardson would be a nice player to pair with Anderson and Enunwa. But Kearse has the big game experience. So I don't see any reason to make a change.

Finally, now that I have listed these very logical, strategic and HIGHLY unlikely moves that could change the losing ways of this star crossed franchise I'll briefly list what I think WILL actually happen.

The Jets are probably scared to have to compete with the Giants in the HC market. They will most likely stick with Bowles. That alone makes most everything else I wrote impossible. 99% of this league see's that Todd is Ray Rhodes 2.0 He's simply a coordinator... at best. We won't be able to upgrade our defensive coaching staff, or attract elite free agents to a situation where the HC is on the hot seat.

As for the roster, I think McCown will be resigned, if he starts in 2018 I will bet my house that he doesn't stay healthy for even 8 games. So that would simply be a waste. I think his back ups will be rookie Josh Allen and Hackenberg. Two guys who are HUGE projects. And essentially they are both rookies since Hack has only been activated for 3 games in 2 years, not to mention never touching foot on the field.

If Macc does decide it's just too risky to bank on a 39 year old journeyman QB and decides to bring in a new starter I could easily see Kirk Cousins in green & white next season. Thats a mistake on so many levels. You'll be paying Russell Wilson money for an Andy Dalton quality player. And it will absolutely hinder our salary cap for years to come. Theres just too much talent in this draft to make that kind of long term investment in a QB with Cousins mediocre talent.

What it boils down to is when your team hasn't sniffed the post season in 7 years and is coming off of back to back seasons that land you in the top 10 of the draft... it's time to realize that if nothing changes then nothing changes. I gave up on Woody Johnson not long after he became the owner. I knew he was a born loser over 10 years ago when he couldn't get the stadium deal done. But there is someone new in charge, maybe I can hope against hope that he will see the light.

-J.Wagner

Who will be out, and who should be in

As training camps around the nation are in full swing and the first preseason game is only hours away my mind fast forwards to the first week of January and the changes that are imminent. I don't know why, but the start of something always makes me ponder about the finale. How will this season play out? There are a bunch of aging franchise QB's that will be sent off to pasture soon. So changes are going to happen, and thats a fact. But the first week of August is full of hope and optimism in 32 locker rooms.

The teams that I think will be looking for new head coaches this winter  are:

• Panthers: Their very brief window is closed. Rivera will be out.
• Jets: Bowles is now the poster child for coordinators who can't make the jump to the big chair.
• Saints: Another season where Brees puts up 35+ points a week and can't win 9 games will be the last.
• Patriots: See the post immediately before this one.
• Bears: Fox peaked like 8 years and 2 teams ago.
• Cardinals: Arians health will make 2017 his last.
• Ravens: Harbaugh has done everything possible to try and help this team transition from a veteran roster that won a SB 5 years ago to a competitive rebuild.  He's a very talented culture builder who needs a change of scenery.
• Colts: This Luck experiment isn't working out. He's proving to be a bit fragile for the NFL. They need a coach that can bring a nasty attitude to this team. They get destroyed in the trenches and a big reason is a lack of toughness.

So who should replace these doomed HC's?

Here are my top 10 available candidates...

#10- Dom Capers, defensive coordinator Packers. He could excel if given a 2nd chance to be the head man.

#9- Kris Richard, defensive coordinator Seahawks. He's part of the new breed. He beat out Ken Norton as DC and he understands how to motivate modern day players.

#8- Perry Fewell, defensive backs coach Jaguars. I feel he is a Coughlin disciple who is a true diamond in the rough in todays NFL. I hope he gets his shot.

#7- Wade Wilson, QB coach Cowboys. He developed Romo and helped him have his best seasons as a pro, which was no easy task. And what he did with Dak in his rookie year was turning any heads that had not already noticed him. Being a QB whisper in todays league can be a real fast track to the top.

#6- Mike Tice, O-line coach Raiders. He is the real deal. It's been a long time since he was a head coach but he brings an attitude and swagger that many of the teams I mentioned above are missing.

#5- Mike Singletary, unemployed. I know his first swing at being the top dog wasn't a homerun, but he has been doing nothing but preparing himself to not waste his next at bat. I think he could be great.

#4- Matt Patricia, Defensive coordinator Patriots. If and when Bill Belichick hangs em up and he is not hired as the Pats HC he will hit the market and be in demand. He has been very smart by not getting ants in his pants and taking the first offer that came his way.

#3- Frank Reich, offensive coordinator Eagles. If Went takes the big jump in year 2 that every Eagles fan is hoping for Reich gets the call to be the man. Period. He's been close, one good year from that offense and it's a done deal.

#2- Todd Haley, offensive coordinator Steelers. Another guy who got his shot way too early in KC. He's proven he is a one of the true guru's when it comes to coaching offenses that can light up the scoreboard. Obviously thats what this league is all about.

#1- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator Eagles. I have felt he is the best available since 2015. He had some success in Detroit and some team will get to benifit from his learning experience in MoTown.

And to wrap up, I'll match up some of these names and the teams I think would be the perfect fit.

• Colts:  Mike Tice
• Jets: Todd Haley
• Patriots: Patricia
• Saints: Jim Scwartz
• Ravens: Kris Richard
• Bears: Mike Singletary
• Cardinals: Frank Reich

-J.Wagner

My theory that Belichick is planning on retiring...

Bill Belichick has said many times that he didn't want to end up like Marv Levy and coach into his 70's. He's currently 65 years old. Brady has said he plans on playing for 5+ years. Conventional thinking has always been that Bill will ride the Brady train until the wheels fall off.

The main reason revolves around how Belichicks' legacy would be impacted if he were to step down and Brady went on to win another Super Bowl with a different HC. The debate always boils down to: who made who? Did Walsh make Montana, or did Joe cool make Walsh? Did Holmgren make Favre, or if it wasn't for the boy from Mississippi would Holmgren just been a footnote in Packers history?

IMHO legacy considerations are way more important to these legends than the average NFL fan realizes. All that being said, Belichick has 10 Super Bowl appearances as a Coordinator and HC, and he is 7-3. He could walk away today and leave a legacy as the greatest of all time. However, if he had hung it up in February of 17' he would have handed McDaniels (or Patricia) a defending champion roster with a ton of savvy vets including the greatest QB of all time. No question that Brady and those coaches would want to prove they could do it on their own. And that certainly takes the luster off of Bill's legacy if they succeeded.

So Bill stuck around for the upcoming season. But he knows what anyone who knows football knows... Brady has maybe one more elite season left. I don't care what fancy workout and diet regimens he's on.... when a QB hits the wall it happens fast and hard. There's a chance that Brady's 17' will mimic Manning's 15' and there's a HUGE chance that even if he does play at a high level this year 2018 will be his swan song.

That being considered, Belichick is the ultimate chess player. He's planning many moves ahead. I think the plan is to try to land his sixth championship as a HC, a back to back repeat, and ride off into the sunset. He will hand his successor a declining QB and some massive shoes to fill.

The thing that convinced me he isn't planning on being around past 2017 is that he didn't trade Garoppolo. He could have landed a top 10 draft pick this year by giving up an unproven, overhyped back up QB. No one passes on that unless they are going all in for one final season. He also was ultra aggressive in free agency including giving up premium money for Gilmore out of Buffalo. The Pats NEVER pay retail for any player... they also don't usually trade away a 1st round pick for a player they expect to play a very specific role (Cooks: speedy WR to stretch the field).

I think he is all in this year and it was more important to him to have Jimmy G to be an insurance policy because this is his 'last rodeo' as Peyton would say.

-J. Wagner

2017 NFL Draft

This is shaping up to be one of the more interesting day one's in the history of the NFL Draft. When there isn't a clear cut #1 QB... in a league that is so desperate for QB's… it can make for some crazy trades, pathetic reaches and knee jerk reactions.

The concensus top 10 include names like Garrett, Adams, Fournette, Lattimore, Thomas, Hooker, Howard, McCaffrey, Allen and Trubisky… with Garrett being tabbed as the #1 for at least the last 2 months. Now, 24hrs before the Browns turn in their first card the rumor mill is churning out stories about Trubisky rocketing up Coach Jackson's draft board.

No matter how these first 32 picks pan out one thing is for sure: this should be some gripping prime time TV.

The real story line to me is how prevalant the baggage is that the bluechip prospects bring with them to Philly this weekend. Character concerns, off the field issues, failed drug tests and very significant medical concerns. I think this first round is best compared to a minefield.

I am especially put off by guys who can't stay healthy in college. The players are only going to be faster and hit harder in the pros, so if you can't stay on the field as an underclassmen  I don't see why you will be available for 16 games at the next level.  So guys like Lattimore and Fournette are off my board in the 1st round, not to mention in the top 10.

My definition of a top 10 pick is a guy who can start day one, who can be a 10 year starter and can have a huge impact on the game week in and week out. JJ Watt, Julio Jones, Cam Newton and Von Miller are perfect examples of what a top 10 pick should look like.

Here are my top 10 in this years draft

Miles Garrett
Jamal Adams
OJ Howard
DerekBarnett
Mike Williams
Corey Davis
Christian McCaffery
DerekBarnett
Takkarist McKinley
Gareon Conley

In that order.

I wouldn't rank any of the QB's in the top 25, however I do recognize the raw talent that Trubisky brings to the table and I really like DeShone Kizer. They are the only two guys I would consider as 1st round prospects. However, neither are day one starters so I wouldn't consider them until pick 25 or later. Mahomes is a fun guy to watch and he has some upside, but I rank him as a late 2nd rounder. As for Watson… I don't like his build and he has a WEAK arm. 4th rounder IMHO, don't be shocked to see him do the Geno Smith slide to day 2 of the draft.

I always spend an extra few words about the Jets draft. They have the #6 overall pick and huge gaping holes at QB, #1 CB, TE and outside pass rusher. I think the Jets could build a whole new secondary in this one draft, and DB is the strength of this group of rookies. They already have 4 picks in the first three rounds including a top 6 in each. I think there are day one starters all through the first 3 rounds.

Moving down from 6 might seem like the logical goal. But that depends on who's still on the board at #6. If Adams and/ or Howard are still available I don't see how you pass on either. Trading down is very overrated IMHO. How many times in the past 10 years have we seen the Browns trade down and pass on guys like Julio Jones and Carson Wentz just to accumulate picks to waste on busts? It's not just about stockpiling picks, it's about what you do with them.

My top players for the Jets are Adams, Howard, McKinley, Williams and Barnett… again, in that order. They can stay put at #6 and land Adams or Howard (Adams is a long shot, but he may fall to Macc the way Williams did in 2015). They could trade down in the first round and still have a shot at the other 3 players I just mentioned.

The three guys I hope they avoid at all costs are Watson, Fournette and Lattimore.

As for predictions regarding trades, I usually avoid trying to play that guessing game. I do think that we could see some players with solid name recognition move to new zip codes this weekend. Beastmode has already been traded to The Raiders on draft eve. Some other guys that could be on the move are Sheldon Richardson, Malcom Butler, Jimmy Garoppolo, Richard Sherman & The Brockweiler.

Get your popcorn ready!

-Jay Wagner

The Brockweiler, Kaepershnizzle & Oh No Romo...

I wanted to focus on three QB's with three different story lines who have one major thing in common. They are all in pro football limbo. 

Lets start with Collin Kaepernick, the only true free agent of the group. ESPN recently published an article that referred to Kap's current state of unemployment as "curious". This following Spike Lee's tweet storm where he basically said that Kap was being black balled because of his protests last year. Richard Sherman also chimed in claiming that his good buddy Collin was better than at least 20 of the current starters in this league. Here are the facts: He sucks at playing QB. He's a one trick pony. Just like RG III, and other mobile QB's before him, he had a bit of success running a gimmicky option style offense. As time passed teams found out how to shut him down and when he was forced to rely on his arm and reading defenses he became irrelevant.

The stats don't lie… in the past 4 seasons his completion percentage was above 60 only once… and that was only 60.2% in 2015. He also threw 19 picks and had 22 fumbles during that stretch. Honestly, I would probably say he is top 30 in this league (not top 10 like Richard Sherman implied), but most teams aren't clambering to sign the 30th best QB in the NFL who had a significant injury the season before last and who has a public image problem.

Yes, the protests play a small role in him being unemployed. The only 3 teams that have real open competitions at the QB spot are the Browns, Jets and Texans ( I won't count his former team for obvious reasons). The Texans are out of the conversation because the guy who refused to even stand, not to mention salute the red white & blue, would look funny wearing a uniform that is more Patriotic than the team named the Patriots. The Jets were never an option because they are in the biggest media market in the league. The last thing they need is a washed up QB who would bring very little to the field and would light up the back page of the NY Post on a daily basis (Commonly known as the Tebow effect in NYC). I don't think that move would have helped Woody Johnson on his quest to become Trump's newest billionaire political appointee.

As for the Browns.. I think he will probably land there. And that would be his best chance at resurrecting his career. Coach Jackson could potentially help him. So when this is all said and done, this is a non-story drummed up by the media to try and sensationalize anything regarding race. If you are outraged that Kap doesn't have a job right now I ask you to please remember HE opted out of his contract in SF…. he wasn't released. If you think it's a conspiracy I ask you why the fact that Jay Cutler is still unsigned is not making national headlines?

The next QB on the list is the guy who would technically be at the top of the Browns current depth chart… Brock. As I mentioned in a previous post the powers that be in the lone-star state decided to sign a free agent QB to a multi year deal with a bunch of guaranteed money without even meeting with him. Believe it or not they ended up with buyers remorse. So 365 days later they decided to trade Brock and a 2nd round pick to the Browns in exchange for some serious salary cap relief. Cleveland absorbed all of Osweiler's 16 million in guaranteed salary for 2017.

I for one have not given up on Brock. O'Brien has made every QB that has stepped behind his Center look like garbage since he took the reigns as the Texans HC. It's either his system, or his inability to identify the right QB to run it properly. I mean hell, look at the due diligence that was displayed when making the decision to bring Osweiler in last year. LOL!

The more I examine this trade the more I think that Cleveland was the winner. I think they convinced the Texans that they didn't want Brock and that they were intending to execute the trade and then cut him… which helped drive the price up to a 2nd round pick. But now that they have taken Brock off the Texans hands, and got paid with a pretty high draft pick… they don't seem in a rush to move him.

The Browns worse case scenario is that they cut Brock and eat the 16 million. They started free agency with over 100 million to spend. Considering that Cleveland (very predictably) wasn't a hot landing spot for high priced free agents they weren't going to need that 16 million anyway. So when it's all said and done they are left with a 2nd round pick… and gave up nothing but cash in return.

The best case scenario is that Brock actually wins the starting job and starts to excel under the expert tutelage of the Browns HC/ QB whisper himself. So they could end up with a starting QB, which they desperately needed, and a 2nd round pick.

But there are still other scenarios. If they are willing to pay for draft picks, why not approach teams like the Jets or 49ers who have no identity at QB or a team with an aging starter like the Chargers, Patriots or Saints and make an offer that might entice them. How about a late round draft pick in exchange for Osweiler and a deal that would include the Browns agreeing to absorb 80 or 90 percent of the 16 million in 2017. If you could get Brock and it would only cost you 2 million or less against your cap for a 5th or 6th round pick… why not?

The Browns end up with a 2nd and... lets say a fifth rounder in exchange for eating 14 million in dead money this season. Any way this plays out the Browns can't lose. As for the Texans… they had to very publicly admit they messed up big time, they lost a high draft pick trading him away, they now have a gaping hole at QB and there's still the chance Brock goes somewhere else and becomes a solid starter. In every way they are the losers. Their best case scenario is Tony Romo being released. They make a run at him, over pay big time and if they do land him he is on IR before JJ Watt gets his first sack of the season. And they are back where they started.

All this Romo talk brings me to the next QB on my list today… Romo. He's in such a great position. The networks are already lining up to sign him and start his TV career. If he is dying to take one more shot as a starter he waits until he is officially a free agent and then bends the Texans over a barrel and gives them a good rodgering. He can probably get a ton of money out of them. The brass over there are in panic mode.

Another option is that if he really doesn't want to leave Dallas (and is prepared to remain as Dak's back up) he could agree to a pay cut… I'd pay 4 to 6 million for him in that role… especially if I was Jerry Jones. I must admit I have wondered if Jerry has been trying to demonstrate that none of the teams out their really value him that much, considering no one has offered compensation that the Cowboys are willing to accept…. and thats if any team has offered anything at all. Its a great way to show that if none of his potential suitors are willing to put up a high draft pick then you could assume they won't offer much guaranteed money in a contract for 2017. They may also be trying to convince him that he could be embarrassed if he does hit the open market and doesn't get a decent offer.

Here are the facts:

• He's due 14 million under his current contract. 
• If any team had already put a 5th or 6th round pick on the table the Cowboys would have pulled the trigger by now. 
• The Cowboys will not retain him at the aforementioned cap number. 

All that being considered, a pay cut would not be unfathomable. And if Jerry pulls it off, he gets a lot of credit for not dumping Romo on the first day of the new league year. AND, the Texans literally shit their pants.  

We could see the Texans going to Defcon 1 and doing the unthinkable… trading into the top 10 to majorly reach and draft Deshaun Watson. They would have to trade away even more high draft picks to make this move… and it might end up being their only viable option.

Sometimes the best move is doing nothing at all. I really think the Texans (and their fans) will regret trading Brock away even more than they regretted signing him.

The Worst Team In The NFL

Woody Johnson has made every wrong move an NFL owner can make in his 17 seasons with the New York Jets. He inherited a team with a winning culture built brilliantly by Bill Parcells.

The tuna handed him a devastatingly disruptive defense and an offense with one of the most dominate RB's of his generation as well as a powerful offensive line. They had a solid game manager at QB and a bunch of hungry homegrown talent like Wayne Chrebet. He also handed him Bill Belichick as a ready made head coach and an amazing group of assistant coaches. Oh, and he threw in 4 first round draft picks in Woody's first NFL draft as owner… five total in the top 50.

He also inherited a team that was in a bad situation regarding their home stadium, a deal that essentially had them renting their playing field from their cross town rivals. BUT, even though the fans were forced to tailgate under a huge illuminated sign that read "Giants Stadium" each home game, there was still a 10 year waiting list for season tickets. Many NFL owners would kill for that financial situation and fan loyalty.

Take a moment and consider all of the things I have just listed. Do you know how hard it is is to fuck that up… as badly as he has???? It takes staggering incompetency.

He had only 2 jobs as the owner. Make sure he retained that coaching staff by ponying up some absurd cash and getting the Jets their own stadium… which he promised the fan base shortly after taking over.

Woody Johnson is simply a loser. With his money he should wield influence and be able to get what he wants. When you buy a team in the most popular sport in the nation and the biggest media market you have to be brash. You can't continually look for bargains and settle for second best. He has no idea how run an organization. There is no blueprint for building a championship NFL franchise… but there is some basic fundamentals for success.

The first one is you don't do the same thing over and over and over. He has hired 6 head coaches. Lets not count Belichick because he only lasted a day… the other 5 were all defensive specialists and they were all first time head coaches. The same thing, time after time. He has hired 4 GM's… all with no previous experience in their position. He has drafted two QB's in the 1st round… only two in 17 seasons, both times in notoriously weak QB drafts. All of the other QB's have been 2nd round (or later), 2nd best options like Kellen Clemens, Geno Smith, and most recently Petty and Hackenberg.

All of these issues I am listing have a common thread. First time GM's and head coaches come cheap. A jointly owned stadium costs HALF as much. Bluechip, franchise QB's are not cheap. Notice a pattern?

There's no reason the Jets shouldn't be a desirable landing spot for elite executives, coaches and free agents. The media market is second to none, NYC is the greatest city in the world offering any and every amenity known to man. And the Jets owner is one of the wealthiest in the league. Teams like the Jags, Bills and Browns can't offer anything near what New York City offers. This team should be a prime landing spot for the best of the best.

Why can't the Jets get a premiere GM with a track record? A head coach with a championship pedigree? Why do players take less money to stay away from the Jets organization? Because they know Woody is a cheap loser. It's that simple.

So the team continues to get stuck with executives and coaches who are unqualified and are trying to learn on the job. And players who are simply in it exclusively for the money. It's a deeply ingrained culture of losing. The Jets should have a stadium that is the crown jewel of the NFL located in the heart of NYC. They should have the most expensive coaches, scouts and executives money can buy. And if they did... free agents would be lined up and the team would actually have the cap room to sign them.

Last year the ONLY move was to trade up to take Carson Wentz. An experienced GM would have made sure Fitz signed an extension the minute Geno's jaw was broken in the 2015 preseason. It's chess not checkers. A one year extension for 2016 at about 4 million… zero guaranteed would have been appropriate. And he would have signed that in late August. Instead they let him go out and throw 30+ TD's and enter the offseason as a free agent.

BUT, even the best minds in the game would have had a hard time predicting Fitz's success in 2015… so there was still a way to properly handle this issue. He should have been told, the moment the Jets lost to the inferior Bills week 17, that he has a few weeks to accept an offer… around 8 million for 2016/ 12 million for 2017/ 15 million for 2018…. 35 million, 3 years… 10 million guaranteed. If he didn't sign by the first day of the new league year the deal was off the table and the Jets were going to move forward with out him. Period.

That would have cost 8 in 2016 (instead of 12) and 2 in 2017… after he was cut. Any team can eat 2 million. Instead the Jets are paying Fitz 5 million in dead money this season. Combine that with 6 million of dead cash for Revis and the Jets are wasting over 10 million in salary cap space being paid to players for the luxury of not having them on the roster. Amateur mismanagement.

Knowing this was going to be a horrendous QB draft class in 2017, Wentz was the only move. A young stud like him would have been a big draw to free agents this off season. It would have taken balls to move from #20 to #2, but considering the players who the Jets took with the draft picks they held on to… my point is even more reinforced.

I won't even start to break down what a terrible job Todd Bowles has done as a head coach. This guy is Ray Rhodes 2.0 Completely lost in the weeds. Terrible job utilizing his talent (yes, they played a 300lb+ guy at MLB… dropping him back 15-20 yards in coverage). And his in game management is simultaneously gutless and clueless. He's a coordinator and nothing more. And EVERYONE who knows anything knows this guy has zero chance of being the Jets coach in 2018. So again, free agents and top assistant coaches will avoid Florham Park like the plague.

So whats the solution? If Woody stays as the owner the Jets will always be losers. There's no way around it. He won't accidentally stumble upon a lucky draft pick and find a franchise QB in the 4th round. He won't discover that diamond in the rough assistant coach who's ready to take the next step or that young genius scout that is ready to be the next Bill Polian. He will just settle for 2nd best.

That being said… here's a simple way for Woody to turn it all around. In case he enjoys reading scathing articles about him and see's my suggestion.

Let the 2017 season play out. With Macc and Bowles in charge a top 3 draft pick is more than likely. #1 overall is very possible. When the smoke clears you will have a top pick in a draft that might have 2 to 3 bluechip QB prospects. 65 to 80 million in cap room is going to be there depending on which players are retained. And you have a handful of young talented players who the previous 2 GM's have stumbled upon. Enunwa & Williams are the real deal. And guys like Shell, Anderson, Lee and Burris look like possible impact players moving forward. Most importantly the bar couldn't be set any lower.

This is a perfect environment for an elite culture changing coach to step into and build a team in his own image. He has everything he needs to start from scratch and begin to sculpt a winner. And it would be almost impossible to do worse in 2018 than the Jets will do in 2017. One final incentive is that the Belichick/ Brady partnership has to be coming to a close soon. Father time is undefeated, sorry Tommy boy.

Woody should make Jim Harbaugh the highest paid head coach in the league starting in January of 2018, literally back the money truck up to his house. Harbaugh will have a great perspective on the next 2 to 3 drafts because of his time recruiting and coaching at Michigan. Much like Jimmy Johnson when he left Miami for Dallas. He will also attract elite assistant coaches including some of his guys from the 49ers and Michigan. Finally he brings Tom Gamble with him to help run the front office.

Thats the solution. Instead of dredging the bottom of the NFL barrel for beginners who want to cut their teeth…. go out, spend some absurd cash and get the #1 candidate on the market with a proven track record of building a winning culture. Just like when he's shopping for houses, cars and jewelry for his trophy wife, Johnson needs to subscribe to one simple philosophy to turn this star crossed franchise around…. "The best or nothing".

Maybe someone can get this message across the pond to Ambassador Johnson. If you think he wasn't engaged before… wait until you see the next few years from the Jets absentee owner.

-Jay Wagner

Slow start to the new league year...

Fascinatingly uneventful first few weeks of the new league year. There have been a couple of big names in new zip codes like Calais Campbell, Stephon Gilmore, Tony Jefferson and Alshon Jeffery. But the real history making, stunning, mouth wide open move was Brock Osweiler being traded from Houston to Cleveland.

I've been an avid NFL fan for 30 plus years. I have never even thought of the concept of trading a player to another team so that your trade partner could & would absorb a bad contract and salary cap hit. Frankly it's kind of brilliant. Houston sent Brock and his ridiculous 16 million dollar 2017 cap number to Cleveland. They also included a 2nd round pick. Essentially they paid the Browns the bounty of a day two draft pick so that they could use a portion of their 100 million in cap space to bail Houston out of a HUGE mistake. The league approved this, and thats fine… however, I think this will be addressed by the league office in the future.

If teams can start throwing money at free agents only to buy a 'get out of jail free' card for a draft pick down the road it could get out of control. I think a rule that curbs this kind of trade would include a stipulation that the team taking the player can only absorb 75% of the contract. Dead money is the only thing that keeps some NFL GM's from spending like drunken sailors. Some rougue executive could go crazy and start paying free agents double their market value to attract them to a bad team with the long term plan of trading away the bad contracts if the players don't perform. This has a lot of ramifications, not the least of which is that the market value of each position could get dangerously inflated. If the values aren't kept in check it would mess up the franchise tag as well as other major issues. Nonetheless, the GM who came up with this… either in Cleveland or Houston should be identified… because they made history.

One of the things that has made the start of free agency so dull is that one of the key pieces to the puzzle is stuck in Dallas…. still. Romo hasn't been released. I guess Jones thinks some team is going to give up compensation in a trade. I just don't see how thats ever going to happen. The openings have closed up. The Browns not only have their 3rd round pick from last year, but they now have Brock and I am sure they are still targeting Garopolo. The Jets just signed McCown, The Broncos seem happy with their two young QB's…. The only realistic landing spot for Romo is Houston. If they are playing hard ball and refuse to give anything for Tony (probably because of his contract) then Dallas should let him go. The Texans and Tony can then start fresh with a contract that makes sense for both sides. If there isn't at least 2 teams who have a gaping hole and are desperate for your player… why play this game?

The best move so far IMHO is the Patriots trading for Brandon Cooks. They have a very young WR who has proven he is a first round talent. There is not a more sure move they could have made with their #32 overall pick. But, it looks like the Pats are going to trade Malcolm Butler back to New Orleans for their mid first round pick. Even though these will go down as 2 separate trades, it boils down to Cooks and the #17 overall for Butler and the #32 overall. Thats a complete rip off in favor of the Pats. Plain and simple.

My favorite move so far was the Bills figuring out a way to restructure Tyrod and keeping him as their QB for 2017. It was a great move for both sides. They have a solid O-line and running game… combined with Watkins and the possibility of drafting rookie WR Mike Williams…. Taylor will have an excellent chance to prove if he has the goods or not… once and for all.

The worst move IMHO is the Bills not finding a way to keep Gilmore. They developed Hogan and let him walk for nothing to Belichick. Now they draft and develop one of the top 5 CB's in the league and let him walk.. in his prime… to Belichick. It's a loser mentality any way you look at it. You can't crush the evil empire by basically serving as their farm team.

A little over 40 weeks until opening weekend…. and the Pats are looking like the 2017 season is just going to be a formality leading up to another championship.

-Jay Wagner