Jets Extend Contracts of GM Mike Maccagnan and Head Coach Todd Bowles

[SackExchange]

Bigmoe, I disagree with your characterization of Sack's comments. I'm sure we all respect your opinion and certainly can understand it. We're all frustrated by the state of the franchise and want a winner. We might disagree on the best approach going forward, but we all have the same goal in mind.

The thing is, we haven't done a complete rebuild. Any time the team has had success, it has been at least in part due to going aggressive in the market.

Parcells arrives, brings in his Parcells guys, a bunch of veterans, team goes from 1 win to 9 to 12. But it was all tied to big splashes in the market.
Rex's run to consecutive AFC title games? Guys like Tomlinson, Holmes, Edwards, Bart Scott, etc. at the heart of it. Again, bringing in veterans to expedite the process.

Perhaps the closest the team has come to actually building through the draft was in getting four first rounders after the Keyshawn deal. Two key components of the DL and a potential franchise QB, and in 2006, with Ferguson and Mangold. But the team has always rushed the process by giving big contracts to veterans, all to appease the media who blast the team for building slowly, and fans who, after so many years, want a winner now and aren't willing to wait through a true and complete rebuild.

I want the Jets to be a winner. But I want a sustained winner, a team that not only is competing for wild cards, but is a perennial power. That cannot come through mortgaging the future on big veteran free agent contracts that will hamper the team long-term. It needs to come through drafting and through selective, strategic moves on younger veterans on the upswing, rather than older veterans who have already peaked and will be paid big money for their declining years.

I know this plan takes longer than the media and a lot of Jets fans are willing to wait. But I am willing to do so, because I've seen enough wild cards in my life. I don't care about being competitive as soon as possible. I'll suffer through a few bad years if it positions the organization for long-term success. That is why I am OK with the current plan, and with maintaining stability at GM and HC while that plan comes to fruition.

 

[jetgreen13]

This is what I heard from a good portion of this board:

Year 1: Sure, 10-6, but no playoffs, and he lost the last game. Besides, he doesn't deserve any credit because of the soft schedule. Team won 10 games in spite of Bowles.
Year 2: Awful performance all around, goes back to the HC.
Year 3: Gutting the roster is an excuse. You are what your record says you are.

To me, that is textbook blasting him for all that went wrong while doing mental gymnastics to avoid giving him credit for the positives.

what were/are your thoughts on kotite's jets career??

 

[SackExchange]

what were/are your thoughts on kotite's jets career??

Poor, of course. What's worse is that there were no real signs of personnel improvement. The team was consistently worse.

But Kotite was a Jets guy, a Jets fan. And that carries a lot of weight, based on another comment.

 

[LIJETFAN]

The thing is, we haven't done a complete rebuild. Any time the team has had success, it has been at least in part due to going aggressive in the market.

Parcells arrives, brings in his Parcells guys, a bunch of veterans, team goes from 1 win to 9 to 12. But it was all tied to big splashes in the market.
Rex's run to consecutive AFC title games? Guys like Tomlinson, Holmes, Edwards, Bart Scott, etc. at the heart of it. Again, bringing in veterans to expedite the process.

Perhaps the closest the team has come to actually building through the draft was in getting four first rounders after the Keyshawn deal. Two key components of the DL and a potential franchise QB, and in 2006, with Ferguson and Mangold. But the team has always rushed the process by giving big contracts to veterans, all to appease the media who blast the team for building slowly, and fans who, after so many years, want a winner now and aren't willing to wait through a true and complete rebuild.

I want the Jets to be a winner. But I want a sustained winner, a team that not only is competing for wild cards, but is a perennial power. That cannot come through mortgaging the future on big veteran free agent contracts that will hamper the team long-term. It needs to come through drafting and through selective, strategic moves on younger veterans on the upswing, rather than older veterans who have already peaked and will be paid big money for their declining years.

I know this plan takes longer than the media and a lot of Jets fans are willing to wait. But I am willing to do so, because I've seen enough wild cards in my life. I don't care about being competitive as soon as possible. I'll suffer through a few bad years if it positions the organization for long-term success. That is why I am OK with the current plan, and with maintaining stability at GM and HC while that plan comes to fruition.

A++, agree 100% Sack. I am willing to be patient and build this franchise the right way, for the long term - and that approach necessitates continuity.

 

[jetgreen13]

A++, agree 100% Sack. I am willing to be patient and build this franchise the right way, for the long term - and that approach necessitates continuity.

this is a very sound practice & most, if not all franchises in all of sports follow this line of thinking..

but patience is relative.. at what point do we cut bait on a failed experiment?? does every regime get no less than 5 years to prove they don't know WTF they are doing??

life is to short.. i don't feel obligated to hope against hope bowles & maccagnan will inevitably figure things out.. perhaps we already have enough information to tell us, there is no rational explanation pointing to they will..

if you & sack have found the fountain of youth, your combined patience is more understandable to me.. but unless you guys are willing to give up the location of said fountain, what good is that for the rest of us??

 

[SackExchange]

this is a very sound practice & most, if not all franchises in all of sports follow this line of thinking..

but patience is relative.. at what point do we cut bait on a failed experiment?? does every regime get no less than 5 years to prove they don't know WTF they are doing??

life is to short.. i don't feel obligated to hope against hope bowles & maccagnan will inevitably figure things out.. perhaps we already have enough information to tell us, there is no rational explanation pointing to they will..

if you & sack have found the fountain of youth, your combined patience is more understandable to me.. but unless you guys are willing to give up the location of said fountain, what good is that for the rest of us??

Fair point. But remember, we are all of one year into a true rebuild. The first season Mac and Bowles were here, it led to guys like Marshall and Fitz. The second year, the rebuild had not started, in part because I think the front office believed there would be an uproar if they tore down a 10-win team. So at this point, the true rebuild has only had one full year.

As for me, I'm 43. I was born 5 years after Joe Willie won it all, so I've never seen this team in the Super Bowl. I want it as bad as anyone, which is why I'm willing to pay the price now if it gets us closer in the future. Maybe if I was a generation older, I could not afford that patience.

 

[LIJETFAN]

this is a very sound practice & most, if not all franchises in all of sports follow this line of thinking..

but patience is relative.. at what point do we cut bait on a failed experiment?? does every regime get no less than 5 years to prove they don't know WTF they are doing??

life is to short.. i don't feel obligated to hope against hope bowles & maccagnan will inevitably figure things out.. perhaps we already have enough information to tell us, there is no rational explanation pointing to they will..

if you & sack have found the fountain of youth, your combined patience is more understandable to me.. but unless you guys are willing to give up the location of said fountain, what good is that for the rest of us??

Good post jetgreen. Very funny. I do not have the location of said fountain. I've been a fan for 43 years now. Believe me, I want a SB as bad as anyone. I think Sack stated my position fairly. This is one year into a total rebuild. The fundamental difference between us is whether we believe Mac & Bowles are competent and can get us to the promised land. Based on the information we have so far, my answer I don't know. I do know that they have shown me enough to say, they deserve an opportunity to see their plans through.

I also believe that they wanted to start the rebuilding process 2 seasons ago, but Woody had other ideas. He wanted a "competitive rebuild." We all know that formula has never worked. So Woody finally bought into the total rebuild strategy, and this is the first year of that plan. They deserve time to see it through. In my opinion Mac & Bowles's performance can't be fairly assessed until they've been given an opportunity to build the team they want to build, in the way they want to build it. I also believe that Christopher Johnson has a much clearer understanding of how to build a winner, and he must have confidence in Mac & Bowles as well to extend their contracts.

So I hear you about patience and the fountain of youth. I totally get it. But let's see how things play out next season. This offseason they have some high draft picks, with 4 in the first 3 rounds. They have $100 M to spend, so the cap is not an issue if there is a player they believe can help. I'm not jumping off the ship just because the ride is a little bumpy early on,.

 

[Gramoah]

Fair point. But remember, we are all of one year into a true rebuild. The first season Mac and Bowles were here, it led to guys like Marshall and Fitz. The second year, the rebuild had not started, in part because I think the front office believed there would be an uproar if they tore down a 10-win team. So at this point, the true rebuild has only had one full year.

As for me, I'm 43. I was born 5 years after Joe Willie won it all, so I've never seen this team in the Super Bowl. I want it as bad as anyone, which is why I'm willing to pay the price now if it gets us closer in the future. Maybe if I was a generation older, I could not afford that patience.

Well said. I want another Superbowl win so bad that I've considered playing myself to help the team out. They do use a handicap system like golf right ? All kidding aside, I'll be 75 shortly and if I can be patient we all can. Changing the staff at this point would essentially be starting over on the rebuild and it's, like you alluded to, just started. There is no way it can happen in one year and have a long term competitive team as a result. Bowles and Mac may not be the guys of the future but they have started something that should have started years ago. It's going to take time and they deserve the chance to finish what they started. Yes Bowles has made coaching mistakes. There is a learning curve on every new job and it's different for each person and I don't believe for a New York minute that any of us on this forum can say, honestly, that they have never made mistakes when taking on something new.

 

[NCgreen12]

Finding our QB will "very quickly" change everything on this team. It's amazing how one player, Jimmy Garappalo, drastically changed one of the worst teams in the league and how Deshaun Watson made Houston a serious contender before he got hurt. Belief in winning can change how everyone on the team performs. Both sides of the ball just seem to play better and breaks seem to go your way. Good QB play can single handedly do that for a team. It can even turn Bowles into a better coach (well, maybe on that).

I'm willing to support what ever risks (future draft picks) are necessary to find our guy. Draft two guys if it makes sense. The question is does Mac have the vision to see who that player is. His track record has not been good being he passed on Watson and drafted Hack and Petty. Hopefully the stars are aligned for us this year.

 

[gastineau]

wow didn't realize you are on the inside and can definitively state that Bowles lost the team even though those same players you are talking about have admittedly stated that fans like yourself don't know what is going on behind the scenes in the locker room on the practice field but keep assuming... I am also assuming you haven't been watching the games this year as this team in all three phases have been busting their humps from start to finish... sorry gas., but you are totally wrong, what happened last year was a mutiny from a group of aged veterans that took the wrong path in backing up a guy who only cared about getting paid rather than getting back to work, his production showed on the field...

this team is bought in, a youth development that took shape and proved the media whom are so called experts that our team would not win one game, in fact we were down to the wire in almost every game this season because these players that have quit on this coach never gave up...

Hmmm Wilkerson-Richardson aged Vets? So whats over the hill 28-29? I think Romo said it best about Bowles in 4th QTR of Pats game. Bowles quits on Jets in last 2 games not going for FG & using timeouts & Pats game down 3 score and not going for it. Look we had Players quit on Bowles & Players see Bowles quit on them & showing he doesnt believe in them. All could spell disaster. Dont have a clue what you see thats great of Bowles as a Boss. Me, I fire Bosses that Workers dont work hard for and respect them showing up on time to work. You must dust seats with your back side for a living

 

[gmf1369]

Hmmm Wilkerson-Richardson aged Vets? So whats over the hill 28-29? I think Romo said it best about Bowles in 4th QTR of Pats game. Bowles quits on Jets in last 2 games not going for FG & using timeouts & Pats game down 3 score and not going for it. Look we had Players quit on Bowles & Players see Bowles quit on them & showing he doesnt believe in them. All could spell disaster. Dont have a clue what you see thats great of Bowles as a Boss. Me, I fire Bosses that Workers dont work hard for and respect them showing up on time to work. You must dust seats with your back side for a living

Richardson was immature, outspoken but when outspoken spoke the truth... The locker room problems was between veteran leader Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall verse Richardson whom told it how it was... Richardson never quit on the team, he was punished for things said... As for Wilkerson, he was punished by a coach that was keeping his locker room under check no matter who you are what type of contract you have... That said the immaturity of a 28 year old after being benched not once but twice for a situation that he did call in and say I am running late but it wasn't the first time it became a problematic situation or excuse... So the Head Coach took a stance against a player and said if you can not fix your situation and adhere to your obligations to which you sign that hefty contract for then like the one year dude that is making peanuts to your gold bars you are being held accountable as anyone on this roster...

Now did Wilkerson quit the last three games, no the team for future insurances benched him so he wouldn't suffer an injury during a game that we be on the hook fully next year (if Mo gets hurt 2018 cap fully guaranteed)...

Yeah I see those players that quit on Bowles are still oh wait NOT here... Those players were also a cancer to the team, and Bowles and Macc got rid of them...

Where do you see this year that players QUIT? Players were playing 4 quarters, competing and fighting for each other and mainly for their coach... That's what I want in MY head coach, a person who the masses in the locker room NOT in the stands that has the pulse of the team... You play to win the game, and you keeping playing until the clock runs down to 00:00... These players this year have done nothing but to continue their development of their crafts and that falls nothing short to who is in the big driver's seat from Todd Bowles down to his hand picked position coaches...

 

[Gramoah]

Richardson was immature, outspoken but when outspoken spoke the truth... The locker room problems was between veteran leader Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall verse Richardson whom told it how it was... Richardson never quit on the team, he was punished for things said... As for Wilkerson, he was punished by a coach that was keeping his locker room under check no matter who you are what type of contract you have... That said the immaturity of a 28 year old after being benched not once but twice for a situation that he did call in and say I am running late but it wasn't the first time it became a problematic situation or excuse... So the Head Coach took a stance against a player and said if you can not fix your situation and adhere to your obligations to which you sign that hefty contract for then like the one year dude that is making peanuts to your gold bars you are being held accountable as anyone on this roster...

Now did Wilkerson quit the last three games, no the team for future insurances benched him so he wouldn't suffer an injury during a game that we be on the hook fully next year (if Mo gets hurt 2018 cap fully guaranteed)...

Yeah I see those players that quit on Bowles are still oh wait NOT here... Those players were also a cancer to the team, and Bowles and Macc got rid of them...

Where do you see this year that players QUIT? Players were playing 4 quarters, competing and fighting for each other and mainly for their coach... That's what I want in MY head coach, a person who the masses in the locker room NOT in the stands that has the pulse of the team... You play to win the game, and you keeping playing until the clock runs down to 00:00... These players this year have done nothing but to continue their development of their crafts and that falls nothing short to who is in the big driver's seat from Todd Bowles down to his hand picked position coaches...

Couldn't have put it better myself.

 

[SackExchange]

Hmmm Wilkerson-Richardson aged Vets? So whats over the hill 28-29? I think Romo said it best about Bowles in 4th QTR of Pats game. Bowles quits on Jets in last 2 games not going for FG & using timeouts & Pats game down 3 score and not going for it. Look we had Players quit on Bowles & Players see Bowles quit on them & showing he doesnt believe in them. All could spell disaster. Dont have a clue what you see thats great of Bowles as a Boss. Me, I fire Bosses that Workers dont work hard for and respect them showing up on time to work. You must dust seats with your back side for a living

Well, the players seem to have a much higher opinion of Bowles than you suggest they do, based on their own words.

 

[Mainejet]

i disagree with the notion that those people who want bowles back have flawed reasoning.

I personally don’t want Bowles back but I hope that the administration reached out and did it’s homework to see if there are any other options who are better than Bowles out there. If they just fired him for the sake of firing without a better replacement, what good would that do us? If anything, it may set the team back by changing systems and bringing more instability to the position.

Look, I don’t like Bowles but I’m giving the Johnsons the benefit of the doubt that they did their due diligence, saw that no one out there could do a better job than Bowles who is worth the hassle of changing the system. Keep in mind that Bowles has had a say in Maccs drafts and personnel decisions. If we hire someone else, those people that fit Bowles system may be useless in another.

Bowles is a horrible in game manager and unfortunately I can’t say he has improved since day one at those decisions, however, if Mac continues to add pieces to the team that fit his scheme, things pan out.

Tbh, I don’t know what head coach would have won more games than Bowles with the crap he’s had at QB. Let’s hope this off season, we get the QB of the future so we can begin to judge him properly.

They very much do have flawed reasoning. Sure, Rich Kotite was 4-28 in two seasons, but Hess couldn't fire him because hadn't figured out who he was going to replace Kotite with. It's the most insane nonsense I've ever seen. When you realize you're better off without a HC rather than having your HC working, that's when change is imperative.

 

[Elias]

They very much do have flawed reasoning. Sure, Rich Kotite was 4-28 in two seasons, but Hess couldn't fire him because hadn't figured out who he was going to replace Kotite with. It's the most insane nonsense I've ever seen. When you realize you're better off without a HC rather than having your HC working, that's when change is imperative.

Im over it. Bowles and Maccagnan have one year to prove themselves or they’ll be unemployed. That means they will spend like drunk sailors this free agency. It will be a good year.

 

[NewMFS62]

This doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling that Mac CAN pick a quarterback. His track record:

---

Can Jets be confident Mike Maccagnan will find franchise QB?

It's priority No. 1, 2 and 3 for the Jets this offseason. Their lone must-accomplish task. It doesn't matter how much these players love Todd Bowles, the abundance of picks in this year's draft, or the boatload of money to spend in free agency.

If they can't get a quarterback ... it's all meaningless.

And finding that franchise-defining guy falls on the shoulders of general manager Mike Maccagnan. He can use those picks to draft one, or the money to sign one. It doesn't matter how if he gets the job done.

Just one issue: There are genuine concerns he has that ability.

How close are Jets to being a playoff team?

Maccagnan's been involved in collegiate and pro scouting the last 24 years. He was a college scout with the Redskins (1994), then the team's pro scout (1995-2000), before latching on with the expansion Texans. He was Houston's coordinator of college scouting until 2010, assistant director of college scouting for a year, then got promoted to Director of college scouting. He held that role from 2011 through 2014.


While Maccagnan didn't call the draft shots at any location, he was involved in the evaluation, and aided in the decision to select, ten quarterbacks. Not one of them developed into a franchise guy.

In 1994, the Redskins drafted Heath Shuler in the first round, and Gus Frerotte in the seventh. Shuler played just 29 games (he threw 15 touchdowns and 33 interceptions) before washing out of the league. Freotte was a journeyman backup. Washington later picked Todd Husak in the sixth round in 2000. He played just one game.

The Texans drafted David Carr (No. 1 pick) in 2002, David Ragone (third round) and Drew Henson (sixth) in 2003, B.J. Symons (seventh) in 2004, Alex Brink in 2008 (seventh), T.J. Yates in 2011 (fifth round) and Tom Savage (fourth) in 2014. Not one was a franchise-altering guy. Carr, Yates and Savage found success as backups.

Again, Maccagnan wasn't the one who pulled the trigger on those picks, but he's never been around a team that successfully drafted a franchise quarterback. And since Maccagnan arrived in New York, that's continued.

Maccagnan traded up to draft Baylor's Bryce Petty in the fourth round in 2015. There's a good chance he's not on an NFL roster next year. Maccagnan also took Penn State's Christian Hackenberg in the second round in 2016. The Jets are, quite literally, afraid to put him on the field. In two years, he hasn't taken a snap.

As for draft success stories: Maccagnan shied away from trading up for Jared Goff (Rams) or Carson Wentz (Eagles), and passed on Dak Prescott (Cowboys) in 2016. He didn't pull the trigger on Deshaun Watson with the sixth pick in 2017, and never realistically tried to trade back into the first for him. The Texans did, and got Watson with the No. 12 pick.

Maccagnan doesn't have a quarterback-finding feather in his cap.


The Jets finished the 2017 season 5-11. Better than many expected, but so many fourth-quarter collapses gave the year an uneven feel. Here are the worst moments from the 2017 season.

Which is why the Jets could, conceivably, go the more proven route and sign one in free agency. Maccagnan found some success with veterans Ryan Fitzpatrick (2015-2016) and Josh McCown (2017), while passing on questionable targets like Mike Glennon.

Fitzpatrick had a record-breaking 2015, McCown set career-highs in virutally ever category this year, and Glennon, who got a big-money deal from the Bears this offseason, was benched after four games.

But can Maccagnan tell if Kirk Cousins (Redskins) is still ascending, assuming he hits the open market? What about the Vikings' Case Keenum or Teddy Bridgewater? The Jets have the money to sign any of the three. But if they throw big dollars at one, and they're wrong, it sets them back to Square One.

Acting owner Christopher Johnson gave Maccagnan a two-year contract extension in late December. It was a vote of confidence. But when Johnson met the media, he admitted he's not a patient man.

The clock's ticking. The Jets must find a franchise quarterback this year.

Maccagnan foul-tipped on Petty, then swung-and-missed on Hackenberg.

One more strike ... he's out.

Later

 

[Mainejet]

This doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling that Mac CAN pick a quarterback. His track record:

---

Can Jets be confident Mike Maccagnan will find franchise QB?

It's priority No. 1, 2 and 3 for the Jets this offseason. Their lone must-accomplish task. It doesn't matter how much these players love Todd Bowles, the abundance of picks in this year's draft, or the boatload of money to spend in free agency.

If they can't get a quarterback ... it's all meaningless.

And finding that franchise-defining guy falls on the shoulders of general manager Mike Maccagnan. He can use those picks to draft one, or the money to sign one. It doesn't matter how if he gets the job done.

Just one issue: There are genuine concerns he has that ability.

How close are Jets to being a playoff team?

Maccagnan's been involved in collegiate and pro scouting the last 24 years. He was a college scout with the Redskins (1994), then the team's pro scout (1995-2000), before latching on with the expansion Texans. He was Houston's coordinator of college scouting until 2010, assistant director of college scouting for a year, then got promoted to Director of college scouting. He held that role from 2011 through 2014.


While Maccagnan didn't call the draft shots at any location, he was involved in the evaluation, and aided in the decision to select, ten quarterbacks. Not one of them developed into a franchise guy.

In 1994, the Redskins drafted Heath Shuler in the first round, and Gus Frerotte in the seventh. Shuler played just 29 games (he threw 15 touchdowns and 33 interceptions) before washing out of the league. Freotte was a journeyman backup. Washington later picked Todd Husak in the sixth round in 2000. He played just one game.

The Texans drafted David Carr (No. 1 pick) in 2002, David Ragone (third round) and Drew Henson (sixth) in 2003, B.J. Symons (seventh) in 2004, Alex Brink in 2008 (seventh), T.J. Yates in 2011 (fifth round) and Tom Savage (fourth) in 2014. Not one was a franchise-altering guy. Carr, Yates and Savage found success as backups.

Again, Maccagnan wasn't the one who pulled the trigger on those picks, but he's never been around a team that successfully drafted a franchise quarterback. And since Maccagnan arrived in New York, that's continued.

Maccagnan traded up to draft Baylor's Bryce Petty in the fourth round in 2015. There's a good chance he's not on an NFL roster next year. Maccagnan also took Penn State's Christian Hackenberg in the second round in 2016. The Jets are, quite literally, afraid to put him on the field. In two years, he hasn't taken a snap.

As for draft success stories: Maccagnan shied away from trading up for Jared Goff (Rams) or Carson Wentz (Eagles), and passed on Dak Prescott (Cowboys) in 2016. He didn't pull the trigger on Deshaun Watson with the sixth pick in 2017, and never realistically tried to trade back into the first for him. The Texans did, and got Watson with the No. 12 pick.

Maccagnan doesn't have a quarterback-finding feather in his cap.


The Jets finished the 2017 season 5-11. Better than many expected, but so many fourth-quarter collapses gave the year an uneven feel. Here are the worst moments from the 2017 season.

Which is why the Jets could, conceivably, go the more proven route and sign one in free agency. Maccagnan found some success with veterans Ryan Fitzpatrick (2015-2016) and Josh McCown (2017), while passing on questionable targets like Mike Glennon.

Fitzpatrick had a record-breaking 2015, McCown set career-highs in virutally ever category this year, and Glennon, who got a big-money deal from the Bears this offseason, was benched after four games.

But can Maccagnan tell if Kirk Cousins (Redskins) is still ascending, assuming he hits the open market? What about the Vikings' Case Keenum or Teddy Bridgewater? The Jets have the money to sign any of the three. But if they throw big dollars at one, and they're wrong, it sets them back to Square One.

Acting owner Christopher Johnson gave Maccagnan a two-year contract extension in late December. It was a vote of confidence. But when Johnson met the media, he admitted he's not a patient man.

The clock's ticking. The Jets must find a franchise quarterback this year.

Maccagnan foul-tipped on Petty, then swung-and-missed on Hackenberg.

One more strike ... he's out.

Later

I saw this article on another site and I think it perfectly points out what Mac's extension is all about. People can believe in him all they want, if he doesn't find a QB for this team, he'll be another bad hire by Woody. Another loser Charlie Casserly sold Woody on. I say this knowing full well, Mac CAN draft players. he's already taken BPA and that indicates to me he likes grabbing talented players no matter what position they play. However, he's proven absolutely NOTHING when it comes to QB. If anything the evidence points to him being extremely BAD at selecting QB's...........