[chocomag]

The Jets have 3 real issues that will stop the top GM's from wanting to come here. The salary cap is bad (not as bad as advertised but no walk in the park to work out), our ridiculous insistence on keeping the head coach (not lobbying for him to be fired - just to allow the new GM to make that decision), and the QB from hell.

Based on this it's no wonder the top people aren't lining up - and I'm not even sure who those people might be. But here's a suggestion that the Jets might entertain. I say this only because it may also be their fallback. Hire Scott Cohen on a one year probationary status. Allow him to show the organization what he can do with this draft and work to get the cap down. If we are smart with the salary cap, we can be in a much better situation the following year as I believe we can release Sanchez or trade him with little or no consequences. We can also allow a new GM to pick his own head coach. If Cohen surprises us, we might find a very capable GM and a good draft. If he doesn't then we will be terrible and in position to draft high with hopefully a better crop of QB's coming out in 2014.

If they go this way, then we should draft OLB, ILB, S and offensive linemen in this year's draft, pay Revis his money and the following year draft a QB, TE and WR in the first 3 rounds.

If we settle for a mediocre GM then we are just making the problem that much worse. And that is something the Jets are very good at.

[Chaos]

The three issues:
1) Salary cap is a one year problem. Jets will be free to make moves in 2014.
2) Coach is a one year problem. Woody has only stated that Rex needs to be here in 2013.
3) Sanchez is a one year problem. He will be cut next season if he still on the Jets next season and does not perform.

First off, a one year stop gap GM is no good. You want Cohen to run the draft? Jets have the 9th pick this season. This pick should be made diligently, not just on a whim. What happens if Cohen fails? You think the new GM is going to want to deal with that mess as well?

Second, I don't get the Rex needs to be fired situation. Look at it from Woody's point of view. You have a coach and a QB who can be off the team next year if needed without any additional costs. They have made their bed together, they can leave together. What new coach is going to want to come in and deal with this mess?

Jets need to fix their mistakes and every draft counts. I don't want a guy who may not be here next year making the personnel choices. A good GM candidate is important to fix this ASAP. And honestly, what news do we really know about the GM search? Jets have supposedly made one offer (Caldwell) and are interviewing a variety of candidates (but none that can be verified). Tannenbaum joined the Jets in 1997 and became a GM in 2006. He was an integral part of the organization and it will take time to replace him properly.

[chocomag]

Chaos, on 15 January 2013 - 11:22 AM, said:

The three issues:
1) Salary cap is a one year problem. Jets will be free to make moves in 2014.
2) Coach is a one year problem. Woody has only stated that Rex needs to be here in 2013.
3) Sanchez is a one year problem. He will be cut next season if he still on the Jets next season and does not perform.

First off, a one year stop gap GM is no good. You want Cohen to run the draft? Jets have the 9th pick this season. This pick should be made diligently, not just on a whim. What happens if Cohen fails? You think the new GM is going to want to deal with that mess as well?

Second, I don't get the Rex needs to be fired situation. Look at it from Woody's point of view. You have a coach and a QB who can be off the team next year if needed without any additional costs. They have made their bed together, they can leave together. What new coach is going to want to come in and deal with this mess?

Jets need to fix their mistakes and every draft counts. I don't want a guy who may not be here next year making the personnel choices. A good GM candidate is important to fix this ASAP. And honestly, what news do we really know about the GM search? Jets have supposedly made one offer (Caldwell) and are interviewing a variety of candidates (but none that can be verified). Tannenbaum joined the Jets in 1997 and became a GM in 2006. He was an integral part of the organization and it will take time to replace him properly.

You are approaching this as if we have our choice of GM's. If we can have our choice then there would have been no reason for my point. Caldwell had no interest in the Jets job because a GM that comes into an organization wants to pick his head coach - not have that coach thrust upon him. And since I haven't read about any GM candidates that have had successful experience drafting and who want the Jets job, why not Cohen? Do you believe he is Tannenbaum simply because he was his assistant?

I agree with you on your 3 points. Therefore, IF WE CAN'T FIND A SOLID GM we shouldn't settle for someone. With Cohen we can see if he can rise to the occasion and if not get rid of him next year without any long term contracts.

[Chaos]

chocomag, on 15 January 2013 - 12:33 PM, said:

You are approaching this as if we have our choice of GM's. If we can have our choice then there would have been no reason for my point. Caldwell had no interest in the Jets job because a GM that comes into an organization wants to pick his head coach - not have that coach thrust upon him. And since I haven't read about any GM candidates that have had successful experience drafting and who want the Jets job, why not Cohen? Do you believe he is Tannenbaum simply because he was his assistant?

I agree with you on your 3 points. Therefore, IF WE CAN'T FIND A SOLID GM we shouldn't settle for someone. With Cohen we can see if he can rise to the occasion and if not get rid of him next year without any long term contracts.

But what are you basing this on? The media has no idea who the Jets have been interviewing, they can't even put together a decent list. The fans have absolutely no clue. Who knows who the Jets have actually been looking at. Are they looking for a personnel guy? Are they looking for a cap guy? Are they looking to split the work and hire two people? No one knows. All we know is that out of the supposed list of names, the Jets have looked at both draft experience, cap experience, and individuals with both.

I personally don't want Cohen because I want someone from the outside. I'm tired of in-house candidates and Parcells pedigree. I want a fresh look in the front office.

[SecondHandJets]

chocomag, on 15 January 2013 - 12:33 PM, said:

You are approaching this as if we have our choice of GM's. If we can have our choice then there would have been no reason for my point. Caldwell had no interest in the Jets job because a GM that comes into an organization wants to pick his head coach - not have that coach thrust upon him.

I refuse to believe that one out of only 32 job in existance, which happens to be in the biggest media market in the country which, oh by the way, also comes with an owner that is committed to winning (even if the steps he takes may be incorrect) is a hard sell. Caldwell turning down the Jets is a joke to me. Who knows why he took the Jacksonville job? Was he even offered the Jets job? This is all blown way out of proportion because the media loves to pile on.

[santana]

SecondHandJets, on 15 January 2013 - 03:09 PM, said:

I refuse to believe that one out of only 32 job in existance, which happens to be in the biggest media market in the country which, oh by the way, also comes with an owner that is committed to winning (even if the steps he takes may be incorrect) is a hard sell. Caldwell turning down the Jets is a joke to me. Who knows why he took the Jacksonville job? Was he even offered the Jets job? This is all blown way out of proportion because the media loves to pile on.

sounds accurate

media rode the jets dick for a number of years
now that its gone sour they are making the slide downwards a sensation

watch if next year the jets break out to a great start you will see all the redemption stories they will write

[chocomag]

santana, on 15 January 2013 - 04:30 PM, said:

sounds accurate

media rode the jets dick for a number of years
now that its gone sour they are making the slide downwards a sensation

watch if next year the jets break out to a great start you will see all the redemption stories they will write

You guys may be totally correct. But in answer to the question of what I am basing it on, it has to do with the systematic dismantling of this team by people who really didn't know what they were doing.

Teams that win regularly don't make the fiasco of the QB position that we did. Sanchez sucks and we all know it. We knew it last year didn't we? But the Jets rewarded his terrible season with a contract extension and guaranteed it to boot. Then they go after Tebow. Then they get him and never use him. The total illogic of these moves is mind boggling.

Then we lead the league for years in the fewest draft picks per year when most teams know that since the draft is a crap shoot, you need as many picks as possible so you can have some work out. Not us, we trade them for Sanchez, Tebow, Dwayne Robertson.

Did anyone out there believe Tony Sparano was the answer at OC? Constant revolving door of coaches coupled with a bad QB and cap issues doesn't spell success. What we need is a GM who comes in and takes over and rights this ship. I'm not sure that a GM of that caliber is looking for the Jets job under these circumstances. BUt I do believe that in 1 year we could get rid of our QB, cap problems and if desired the head coach.

So how do we do that. If we hire a GM from the second tier of interviews we may very well continue the slide. Anyone we hire out there is going to want a 4 year deal. But Cohen (who I wouldn't recognize if he walked past me in the street)we could probably get for 1 year on a trial basis (sort of an intern). If he succeeds we are in good shape. If he fails we then have a more desirable atmosphere to offer a top GM.

Don't forget, Rex is going to have a lot of say abut this years draft. Can't believe Woody is going to hire a GM and then tell Rex to stay out of the draft preparation. That also bothers me but it seems likely.

You're right that writers may not know anything. But 8 interviews and counting sure says something to me.

I will admit, I am intrigued with the Sundquist, the ex-GM from the Broncos who interviewed. His resume on drafting is impressive. Getting Cutler in the 1st, Scheffler in the 2nd, Brandon Marshall in the 3rd and Elvis Dumervil in the 4th is awesome. Let's see what happens. remember - my idea is a fallback if there aren't any really proven guys out there.

[HarlemHxC814]

I really don't see how hiring a GM
could remotely be considered a bad idea

[chocomag]

HarlemHxC814, on 15 January 2013 - 06:24 PM, said:

I really don't see how hiring a GM
could remotely be considered a bad idea

I hear that the Jets are going to take Sundquist. That would be a really good thing - I hope. He has experience, has done very well in the draft and has cap experience as well.

The point I was making was that if we were settling for someone rather than finding someone we really wanted, then the 1 year stop gap made sense. Case in point. The Giants guy Ross contacted the Jets and removed his name as a returning interview. Stuff like that is concerning.

As to why hiring a GM MIGHT be a bad idea is that a GM with limited or bad talent evaluation can really hurt a team.

Take the Cowboys. They won 3 Super Bowls thanks in large part to Jimmy Johnson and their GM at the time. Then Jerry Jones (owner) decides that he should become the de facto GM. He evaluates and decides on who to draft. And the Cowboys have been mediocre ever since.

Tannenbaum - a really good guy not GM - was of the opinion that drafting fewer players but moving up in the draft was a good thing. He failed to realize that the draft is a sort of crap shoot. Therefore, the more players you draft the better your chances of finding a larger number of players that will make the team and contribute. New England lives by this philosophy and it works.

Tannenbaum also got us into cap purgatory (not really hell as advertised) by guaranteeing Sanchez' contract and back loading other contracts.

GM's are very important to a team and we need to avoid any further mistakes as we try and rectify our situation. And if we are smart that can be done in 1 or 2 years.