After firing Mike Maccagnan over a week ago, the Jets are in the beginning stages of their general manager search.
While Adam Gase is the GM on an interim basis, he will ultimately not be in charge of the 53-man roster. He will, however, help Christopher Johnson with the search.
The Jets are not using an outside firm, keeping the search in-house. While the decision will ultimately be Johnson’s, Gase was adamant that the next GM will not be a “yes-man” for him. Other than that, not much has been revealed regarding what the Jets are looking for.
We have some ideas, though. With that in mind, let’s take a look at four should-be requirements for New York’s next GM.
Co-Exist with Adam Gase
Mike Maccagnan’s tenure as the Jets GM was riddled with errors, but he was given a second chance by Christopher Johnson to make his wrongs right with a new head coach.
That second-chance lasted four months. Adam Gase won a power struggle — despite his claims otherwise — over the man who had a big influence in hiring him. Now Gase has control of the roster on an interim basis, something he did not foresee having when he took his second head coaching position.
For the Jets to make sure that there is no longer a mutiny between the front office and head coach, they need to ensure that they are bringing in a guy who can work with Gase.
That is why Eagles VP of Player Personnel Joe Douglas has been the perceived favorite from the beginning. Douglas and Gase have a relationship that dates back to their stop in Chicago, but there is a genuine belief that the two would be able to work together well, both reporting to Johnson.
A Strong Evaluator of College Talent
Mike Maccagnan came to the Jets with a background in college scouting, previously serving as the Houston Texans’ director of such matters.
He was brought in to change the tides from John Idzik’s miserable drafts but only created a further mess for New York’s future GM. Maccagnan did more bad than good, even if he landed both Jamal Adams and Sam Darnold. After Adam Gase waived Jordan Leggett earlier this week, only 10 of Maccagnan’s 22 draft picks are left on the team. That number excludes the Jets’ 2019 draft class.
What the Jets need is someone who has had past success in the draft, someone who has done a lot with little. That someone could very well be Joe Douglas. The Philadelphia Eagles made a lot of hits in the middle rounds of drafts from 2016-18, with Douglas and Howie Roseman deemed responsible.
Decisiveness
One of the reasons that led to Mike Maccagnan’s downfall was his inability to make quick decisions.
Maccagnan’s indecisiveness rubbed a lot in the organization the wrong way. It was so apparent at 1 Jets Drive that Adam Gase shipped Darron Lee to the Kansas City Chiefs nearly eight hours after Maccagnan was fired. Maccagnan was set on receiving a fifth-round pick; Gase settled for a sixth.
In the next GM, the Jets are going to need someone who is going to be proactive, but firm in their stance. There were other times when Maccagnan allowed himself to be taken a hostage in deals that he tried to wait out, such as the ones with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Muhammad Wilkerson.
Willingness to Work With Ownership
Jets ownership is not exactly highly regarded in league circles. While, Christopher Johnson has been a breath of fresh air compared to his brother, Woody, he still managed to fire a GM after the draft and free agency.
Woody Johnson and the 2020 election could make an impact on the Jets’ search. Potential candidates will want to know what Woody’s role will be compared to Christopher’s and that could be troublesome for the Jets in their hiring process.
In the next GM, Gang Green is going to need to find someone who is willing to work with the uncertainty surrounding the Jets ownership. The last time New York had an unclear picture of ownership, it led to Bill Belichick’s departure for New England. We all know how that turned out.
