What's wrong with the New York Jets???

My-my-my. Things are a mess with the J-E-T-S Jets. Yet again. As a fan for over 30 years... this broken record has made me numb.

First off, lets be clear about how we got here. And to be clear, 'here' is football hell... out of post-season contention before the midway point of the season.

The Jets certainly have some talent. Mike Maccagnan took over a team with some huge holes, but luckily he had a ton of salary cap cash to spend.

• the O-line was getting old and needed to be rebuilt,
• there was no legitimate TE on the roster,
• there was an old LB corps that lacked any threat or speed from the edge,
• there was no clear starter at QB, 
• there was no true #1 WR and
• the secondary was useless.  

He traded for Marshall and spent a lot of cash on our secondary, including an absurd deal which gave Revis $39 million guaranteed after the age of 30. He has also drafted multiple young LB's to try and rebuild that group. Marshall has been productive and has filled the role of true #1 WR. The secondary that was hand picked by Mac has been a disaster this year. So far none of those young LB's show that they have any chance of developing into a game changing pass rusher from the edge.

That being said:

• the O-line is still a disaster,
• we still don't have a legitimate TE, even though we did pick up a dynamic young player off of waivers from Tampa. Seferian-Jenkins is an amazing athlete, but he is injury prone and he was waived because he is a nightmare off the field. He's a Band-Aid.
• And most importantly we are still miles away from finding that all elusive franchise QB.

Let me quote what I said back in March of 2015 when we signed Revis to his ridiculous contract:

"...as for Me-vis, I mean Revis. He's going to be 30 years old this summer. He isn't worth 16 million this year. Corners hit the wall, with zero warning, right around 29-30 years old. Last season was probably his swan song. He has absolutely NOTHING left to prove moving forward. He is guaranteed 39 million dollars. He has a ring. He's back on a team, playing for an owner who dumped him when he was recovering from an injury and his future was in doubt. Now he gets to take Woody's money and sit back and fade away.

 

Obviously Woody knew fans would be thrilled to get Revis back and he's trying to sell tickets. So he told our new GM to do anything needed to resign him. If Woody would have just done this in 2010 the contract would have made sense, and he would have never ended up in New England. Now we decide to make him the highest paid CB in the league... when he's on the downside of his career.

 

I know, and our front office knows this is a 2 year deal for 39 million. He will make 16 million this year, 16 million next year and he is scheduled to make 15 million in 2017, when he will be 32. No way we pay a guy at that age that much money. So if we cut him in 2017 we eat 7 million in dead money against our cap. That's unacceptable. Brandon Marshall makes 7.5 million. That gives you an idea of what we are losing with that dead money."

Today every word of what I said 20 months ago rings true. The reason that we haven't addressed the O-line, or signed a free agent pass rusher, or a tight end is because we had over 30 million tied up this offseason on Revis and Wilkerson (franchise tag) not to mention we had to keep over 10 million in our back pockets so that we could sign 'FitzTragic' when he was ready to show up.

Considering it was obvious that Revis hit the wall at the end of 2015, and we had two other very impactful former 1st round picks that play the same position as Wilkerson its puzzling to try and understand why our GM ignored our huge deficiencies in these other areas and prioritized these two players.

I said clearly that when Fitz wouldn't sign in early March we needed to cut ties and move on to plan B. Obviously the Browns wanted to trade out of the #2 spot, and the smart move for the Jets was to do whatever was necessary to move up and land Wentz. Instead we decided to wait on a guy who is a solid back up at best. We waited for him like he was Peyton Manning or something. And frankly, a guy with his limited talent deciding to skip OTA's and even possible private work outs with his pass catchers was despicable. His struggles this season were predictable. Now he's on the bench, where he belongs.

When this team won 10 games last season it was considered a successful season in Florham Park. Any self-respecting franchise would have viewed that final game in Buffalo as an unacceptable failure and a huge indication that the roster needed to be improved dramatically. Instead, the Jets basically kept things the same, the only big changes were letting a huge free agent (no pun intended) Defensive Tackle 'Big Snacks' walk in free agency.

What should have happened in the weeks following the collapse in western NY was the following:

First Fitz should have understood that if his deal wasn't done by the start of the league year he was being cut loose. This 5 month dance that went on between him and Mac was absurd and set a bad precedent.

Next, the decision should have been made to keep Snacks over Big Mo. Snacks would have been cheaper, he's still young, he's a homegrown, undrafted guy and he fits perfectly with Williams and Richardson. Instead of playing a 300lb guy at middle LB as we did with Richardson this past week, we would have had the right guys lined up in the right spots.

By signing Snacks over Mo and moving on from Fitz we would have had nearly 20 million more dollars to attack free agency with. We could have brought in at least 2 rock solid O-linemen like Kelechi Osemele, and we could have looked at a guy like Bruce Irvin as an impactful outside LB in his prime.

We would have had to come up with a strategy to address the QB position. Geno should have been cut first off. Petty is obviously a developmental guy. So a veteran back up like Hoyer should have been signed and considering their were no high quality candidates available via free agency the next avenue is trade possibilities. I'm sure guys like Bradford and Cutler could have been acquired for the right price, but who wants them? So the draft is the obvious way to go.

That leads us to The Browns, the #2 pick and Carson Wentz. Our #20 overall and our 2nd round pick would have got that pick (packaged with a midrounder or two including next year). We took Lee and Hackenberg with those first two picks. I am SURE Hack will never amount to anything and I am very skeptical about Lee, I rated him as a bust before the draft happened.

Now if you think this revisionist history... in my previous post carson-wentz-vs-jared-goff from April you will see that I was very direct about what I would have done as Jets GM to try an establish a genuine franchise QB... and it would have been Carson Wentz.

So none of this happened. Our GM decided to field a team in 2016 that was, AT BEST, the same talent level as 2015... and in 2015 we didn't make the playoffs. The fact that this guy didn't understand that he needed to improve this roster is reason enough that he should be terminated. There's only two things he has done well. He drafted Leonard Williams and traded for Marshall. And I struggle giving him credit for #92 because we already had Wilkerson and Richardson as well as so many other holes to fill.

The rest of the 2015 draft looks like a bust. This years draft was worse. Any executive that would draft Hackenberg in any round, especially the mid-second is crazy. When Mac was the head of scouting in Houston he was a part of some good picks like @Nukdabomb and JJ Watt. But he was a part of a losing franchise for over a decade. Why? Because they could never establish a QB. Mac doesn't get it considering he went with Fitz and the Geno-Coaster as his top two options. But, the main guy who doesn't get it is Woody.

The only way the Jets ever become an elite team and the class of the NFL is if Woody Johnson sells the team. This guy promised fans their own stadium... considering he has more money than God it looked like that was the one thing he could accomplish. Instead we got a toaster covered in green light bulbs that we share with the VaGiants.

This guy somehow botched the transition of Parcells to Belichick. He allowed a team that was the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl in 1999 (before a disastrous injury to the QB week 1) and let a brilliant coaching staff walk to a division rival... and the rest is history.

He's focused on continually hiring 1st time GM's and HC's instead of paying up and bringing in the best of the best. 4 Gm's and 5 HC's as well as over a half a dozen starting QB's in 15 years??? He has ZERO clue. Instead of the infamous "Fire Idzik" billboards I think the money would have been spent better on a simple message...  #WoodySellTheTeam

We need someone who can step in, spend some big money on a proven front office and coaching staff... and make it very clear that missing the playoffs and choking in the last game of the season doesn't get you big money like what we saw handed out to Big Mo and FitzTragic.  We also need someone who will get out of the Jets share of ownership in the Big Toaster and build this team and fan base THEIR OWN STADIUM.

As for the roster it needs to be purged. It's that simple. Instead of saying who I would dump, I'll suggest who should stay... it's a smaller list LOL

Wilkerson (can't cut.. too much dead money)
Williams
Lee and Jenkins the rookie LB's
Decker, Enunwa, Marshall, and Peak
Burris and Gilchrist
Powell
Petty

THAT's it.

• I purge the whole O-line including second string.
• Revis has to take a pay cut to 9 million and move to safety/ nickel or he's gone. Eat the 7 million and free up 9.
• Trade Richardson and anyone else who can bring in a late round pick or higher... just like the Eagles did this year. Even if you have to eat some money.

We could feasibly free up over 60 million by making this purge happen, but that's not the main reason to do it. The main reason is because the stench of mediocrity is embedded deep in the walls of Florham Park. That locker room needs to look like a nuke went off in it. One bad apple can ruin the bunch, and we have at least 30 guys who are showing up exclusively for their game check.

With that cap room we can target guys who may hit the market next March like Dre Kirkpatrick, Eric Berry, Stephon Gilmore, Dont'a Hightower, Jarvis Jones, Alex Okafor, Riley Reiff, Marcus Cannon, Kenny Stills, Kendall Wright... ect.

As for leadership... there are a bunch of bluechip coaching options out there for the right price. Proven culture building winners. Jim Harbaugh is the obvious top choice. It would take a dump truck full of cash to lure him away from his alma mater, but everyone has their price. And trust me, he's itching to come back to the NFL, build a winner and dominate.

None of this happens if Woody Johnson doesn't release Jets fans from their current hostage situation.

-Jay Wagner

Six Weeks In The Books

What have we learned after 6 weeks of NFL football?

The Vikings are my favorite team this year. I wasn't a fan of sending a 1st round pick to the Eagles for a fragile, 1st round bust in Bradford. I also wasn't a fan of Bridgewater in the first place...  to be honest. I think former 1st round pick Paterson has been a huge disappointment and Rudolph is very overrated at TE. I also haven't been a huge fan of offensive coordinator Norv Turner throughout his career.

That's a lot of things I don't like. Ya' know what I do like? Heart. Accountability. No excuses. Team first. And most importantly... bone crunching hits. No team in the NFL personifies everything I just mentioned better than the 2016 Minnesota Vikings. This defense is starting to remind me of the 99' Ravens squad. Franchise QB on IR a week before opening day... no problem. One of the most effective offensive weapons in all of football goes down... no Peterson, no problem. I am rooting for a Raiders vs.Vikings Super Bowl... I'd be a happy NFL fan.

As for the Raiders. I wrote about this squad back in early June: Raiders 2016 preview

I said that the time is NOW for the silver and black. Well, apparently they got the memo. Their coach and players leave it all out on the field every week. Crabtree has emerged as a true clutch player, and he and his teammate Cooper have the most combined yards of any duo in the league. The one thing that has been concerning is that their defense is very inconsistent. Hopefully the free agents like Sean Smith and Bruce Irvin will start to gel as we approach the second half of the season.

Odell Beckham Jr. is a ticking time bomb. There's been a bit too much hype around his latest meltdown 2 weeks ago when he exchanged punches with a practice kicking net on the sideline. And there's been a bit to much made of his huge 200+ yard performance this past week. The Giants are desperately trying to pretend that one good game has cured everything, and the public should just sweep his disturbing behavior during games under the rug. I've been a football fan for over 30 years. I can say with 100% confidence that the combination of this kids talent, ego, volatile personality and the NY media are very toxic. This story won't end well for OBJ in NYC. Trust me.

The Browns are the worst organization in pro sports. And I'm saying that as a lifelong Jets fan. Passing on Carson Wentz and trading out of the #2 pick may actually outshine all of their other horrendous drafting/ QB moves. I rated Wentz as the best QB in this years draft during the offseason and I had him as the 5th best overall player in the draft. That being said, I am not as enamored with his solid start to the season as some others. He has a lot of growing to do to be a real threat, but he has already proven he's NFL ready.

Another rookie who has shown he is NFL ready is Dak Prescott. I'm so frustrated because Connor Cook was my pick as the real sleeper QB in this years draft. He went to Oakland and is obviously a back up. If he ever gets his shot I believe he can be the real deal. I didn't say much about Prescott in this draft because his 2015 season wasn't much to write home about. However, I first noticed him in 2014 and I was impressed. I wish I hadn't lost interest because I saw some great things in him.

The big question in Cowboys Nation is: should Romo get his job back? This situation is so similar to the Bledsoe/ Brady ordeal of 2001. And Belichick laid out a clear blueprint on how to handle the situation. Jerry Jones is the exact opposite of 'the hoodie', so I am sure he will botch this. Nonetheless, Dak and Zek are the type of draft picks that can change the direction of an organization. Kudos to these two young guys for showing that the stage of pro football isn't too big for them.

I am not wavering from my declaration that the Cardinals are an elite team. I said 13-3 back in August, that's looking unlikely, but they will be a playoff team. The reason that they have struggled is simply because Carson Palmer has obviously hit the wall. He is looking weary, and he has already missed a game with a concussion. Combine that with my analysis of  Palmer as a post season choke artist, and sadly one of the most talented rosters in the league will probably be a footnote once the 2016 season is done.

The Bills also were a team spiraling out of control after the first 2 weeks of the season. I can't say enough about how impressive it is that Rex has stopped the bleeding, and finally has this group playing up to their talent. They look like a completely different team in the past 4 weeks compared to what we all saw through the first 18 games of the Rex era. Good for him. I have been a real Rex hater for many years. With his back against the wall he has set a fire under his teams ass, and they are responding. They are the only real threat to Brady and Belichick as the season moves forward. Not just in their division but in the whole AFC.

A few more quick hits:

• I am not a believer in the Falcons. They are certainly moving in the right direction as a team, but I think they are a year away from being a true contender.
• The Panthers really dropped the ball by letting Josh Norman walk. Their defense is a mess. I think they will be lucky to finish with a winning record. Huge disappointment as a team.
• The Browns, Bears and 49ers are obviously the whipping boys of the league. I am sure they will all be drafting in the top 5, and all of them need a fresh start at QB. I wonder if there will be any QB worthy of a top 5 pick in the 2017 draft.
• I am not in anyway surprised that the Redskins have turned it around. They are far from a top team, but they are showing that they can win ugly when they need to. Gruden was on the hot seat after a 0-2 start, but he's back in the saddle after 4 straight wins.
• I'd keep an eye on the LA Rams. Keenum is starting to play pretty good football. What do they do if he somehow leads them to the playoffs and continues to progress? There's no way you can bench the #1 overall pick in the draft in year 2. It's too soon to speculate but I'd pay attention as this saga unfolds.

-Jay Wagner