The Jets general manager position opened up on Wednesday after the team fired Mike Maccagnan and VP of Player Personnel Brian Heimerdinger.
Adam Gase was the named the interim GM for the time-being, already making two moves in the process. Gase traded LB Darron Lee to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2020 sixth-round pick and WR Robby Anderson signed his RFA tender.
Gase’s close friend, Joe Douglas, the Philadelphia Eagles’ VP of Player Personnel, has been rumored to be the favorite to replace Maccagnan.
The position will be filled sooner than later, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at the pros and cons for Douglas or another candidate who accepts the job.
Con: Adam Gase
Adam Gase will assist in the search for the team’s next GM, which most likely means that the man who will have control of the 53-man roster will also have previous ties to Gase.
Right now, Gase appears to be one of the most powerful head coaches in the NFL. Even with New York committing to the same power structure in place, Gase will have some say in picking his next colleague.
It’s clear that Gase won a power struggle over Mike Maccagnan. Even if Gang Green brings in someone familiar with Gase, it is still not an enticing situation to come into due to his track record.
Pro: The Quarterback
The Jets are in the same position that the Kansas City Chiefs were over a year ago.
They’re a team that has a young quarterback ready to blossom without the GM that drafted him. Having Sam Darnold as a prized centerpiece makes the Jets a pretty selling point.
In years past when the Jets have done a search for general managers, they have empowered them with finding the franchise’s next quarterback. Now, the next GM of Gang Green already has that piece in place, making the job much less stressful.
Pro: Mix of Young and Experienced Talent
The next GM of the New York Jets will have a roster that on paper should be able to contend for a playoff spot.
New York has young talent in Jamal Adams, Sam Darnold, Quinnen Williams, Chris Herndon and Robby Anderson to mesh with veterans like Le’Veon Bell, C.J. Mosley, Kelechi Osemele and Trumaine Johnson.
Mike Maccagnan made a lot of mistakes in both the draft and free agency, but he left the next GM with a talented roster.
Con: Ownership
Christopher Johnson took over the reins of the organization when his brother Woody accepted a position in the Trump administration.
So far, Johnson’s run as acting CEO has been marred with firing the two men his brother hired after giving them both contract extensions 17 months prior. Johnson chose Mike Maccagnan over Todd Bowles when both should’ve been let go after the 2018 season.
Four months later, Johnson let go of Maccagnan despite the former’s repeated praise of the latter. Jets fans can no longer take Johnson at his word and if they can’t, how can the next GM of the organization?
The next GM of the Jets will have to think long and hard about working under ownership that has long been more of a laughing-stock than royalty.
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