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Five priorities for Jets’ new regime at NFL combine
By Brian Costello
February 17, 2015 | 4:51pm
The 2015 NFL season unofficially gets under way Wednesday when the scouting combine opens in Indianapolis.
For the Jets, this is the true starting point for new general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles. They have spent the past month evaluating players on film, but now they get to watch college players go through drills live. Beyond that, they also will meet with agents and GMs from other teams with free agency coming in just three weeks. Teams are not allowed to speak about free agents on other teams, but they can address their own pending free agents. And there is plenty of winking and nodding about the guys still under contract.
The road back from the 4-12 season in 2014 gets kick-started in Indianapolis as the groundwork is laid for the 2015 roster.
Here are five agenda items for the Jets at this week’s combine:
Meet the Macc
While Maccagnan has spent 25 years in the NFL, he has been behind the scenes as a scout. Now, he is in the big chair. Maccagnan must get to know agents and possibly some other people around the league whom he has not had to deal with before. The scouting combine doubles as an NFL convention. Everyone is there. Maccagnan will be shaking a lot of hands this week.
Gotta go to Mo
One of the agents Maccagnan will sit down with is Chad Wiestling, who represents Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. It is time for the Jets to lock Wilkerson up long-term. Wilkerson is scheduled to make $6.96 million this year and then can become a free agent next year.
Former Jets GM John Idzik slow-played Wilkerson by not getting a deal done last year. Maccagnan can fix that. The negotiations can resume here in Indianapolis, and they likely will get something done before training camp. A deal with Wilkerson would send a strong message Maccagnan intends to take care of his own players who perform well.
It’s all about the QB
The biggest problem for Bowles and Maccagnan to solve before September is who the quarterback will be. They will get a chance to talk to and watch Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston this week. The quarterbacks do interviews with the teams from Wednesday to Friday and go through drills on Saturday. The Jets have two months to decide whether they want to draft one of these QBs if they fall to them at the sixth pick. If they don’t like what they see this week, it could alter their approach in free agency.
Finding keepers
The Jets have 18 players set to become free agents on March 10. The combine is typically when teams indicate to those players’ representatives if they would like to re-sign them and contract talks begin. For the Jets, the top free agent is linebacker David Harris. The 31-year-old led the team in tackles with a career-high 150 last year. It makes sense to bring him back. Nose tackle Damon Harrison is a restricted free agent, so the Jets could put a first- or second-round tender on him or work out a long-term contract. Quarterback Michael Vick, guard Willie Colon, safety Dawan Landry and cornerback Kyle Wilson are all free agents whom the Jets likely will let walk.
If no QB …
If the Jets don’t end up taking a quarterback with the No. 6 pick, in which direction should they go? They will get a look at the top edge rushers, wide receivers and cornerbacks this week. Those are the top positions of need and possible other directions the Jets could go in with their first-round pick.
By Brian Costello
February 17, 2015 | 4:51pm
The 2015 NFL season unofficially gets under way Wednesday when the scouting combine opens in Indianapolis.
For the Jets, this is the true starting point for new general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles. They have spent the past month evaluating players on film, but now they get to watch college players go through drills live. Beyond that, they also will meet with agents and GMs from other teams with free agency coming in just three weeks. Teams are not allowed to speak about free agents on other teams, but they can address their own pending free agents. And there is plenty of winking and nodding about the guys still under contract.
The road back from the 4-12 season in 2014 gets kick-started in Indianapolis as the groundwork is laid for the 2015 roster.
Here are five agenda items for the Jets at this week’s combine:
Meet the Macc
While Maccagnan has spent 25 years in the NFL, he has been behind the scenes as a scout. Now, he is in the big chair. Maccagnan must get to know agents and possibly some other people around the league whom he has not had to deal with before. The scouting combine doubles as an NFL convention. Everyone is there. Maccagnan will be shaking a lot of hands this week.
Gotta go to Mo
One of the agents Maccagnan will sit down with is Chad Wiestling, who represents Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. It is time for the Jets to lock Wilkerson up long-term. Wilkerson is scheduled to make $6.96 million this year and then can become a free agent next year.
Former Jets GM John Idzik slow-played Wilkerson by not getting a deal done last year. Maccagnan can fix that. The negotiations can resume here in Indianapolis, and they likely will get something done before training camp. A deal with Wilkerson would send a strong message Maccagnan intends to take care of his own players who perform well.
It’s all about the QB
The biggest problem for Bowles and Maccagnan to solve before September is who the quarterback will be. They will get a chance to talk to and watch Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston this week. The quarterbacks do interviews with the teams from Wednesday to Friday and go through drills on Saturday. The Jets have two months to decide whether they want to draft one of these QBs if they fall to them at the sixth pick. If they don’t like what they see this week, it could alter their approach in free agency.
Finding keepers
The Jets have 18 players set to become free agents on March 10. The combine is typically when teams indicate to those players’ representatives if they would like to re-sign them and contract talks begin. For the Jets, the top free agent is linebacker David Harris. The 31-year-old led the team in tackles with a career-high 150 last year. It makes sense to bring him back. Nose tackle Damon Harrison is a restricted free agent, so the Jets could put a first- or second-round tender on him or work out a long-term contract. Quarterback Michael Vick, guard Willie Colon, safety Dawan Landry and cornerback Kyle Wilson are all free agents whom the Jets likely will let walk.
If no QB …
If the Jets don’t end up taking a quarterback with the No. 6 pick, in which direction should they go? They will get a look at the top edge rushers, wide receivers and cornerbacks this week. Those are the top positions of need and possible other directions the Jets could go in with their first-round pick.
