The Jets became a laughingstock for firing GM Mike Maccagnan three weeks after the 2019 draft. Maccagnan and newly hired coach Adam Gase splintered faster than a dead twig, plunging the organization into turmoil.
Douglas walked into a tough situation, but he galvanized the building with his unpretentious personality and blue-collar work ethic. Support from Gase, who endorsed Douglas' hire, helped the transition. The front office/coaching staff relationship is stronger than it was under Maccagnan and former coach Todd Bowles. The "watch-your-back" mentality that existed in previous regimes appears to be gone.
Douglas also surrounded himself with lieutenants whom he knew from his past, creating cohesion in the front office. He brought in an outside voice, hiring Rex Hogan as assistant GM. Hogan was instrumental in a few of the Jets' trades.
He established a hard line at the bargaining table. For years, the Jets threw around crazy money, hoping to buy solutions to deep-rooted problems. More often than not, it backfired. Douglas changed that approach, refusing to pay more than his perceived value for a player. It cost him wide receiver Robby Anderson, who bolted as a free agent, but it allowed him to retain linebacker Jordan Jenkins and cornerback Brian Poole on team-friendly deals.
Look, every team overpays to some extent -- $9 million-a-year for right tackle George Fant raised eyebrows around the league -- but Douglas' business model should serve them well over the long haul.
Douglas walked into a tough situation, but he galvanized the building with his unpretentious personality and blue-collar work ethic. Support from Gase, who endorsed Douglas' hire, helped the transition. The front office/coaching staff relationship is stronger than it was under Maccagnan and former coach Todd Bowles. The "watch-your-back" mentality that existed in previous regimes appears to be gone.
Douglas also surrounded himself with lieutenants whom he knew from his past, creating cohesion in the front office. He brought in an outside voice, hiring Rex Hogan as assistant GM. Hogan was instrumental in a few of the Jets' trades.
He established a hard line at the bargaining table. For years, the Jets threw around crazy money, hoping to buy solutions to deep-rooted problems. More often than not, it backfired. Douglas changed that approach, refusing to pay more than his perceived value for a player. It cost him wide receiver Robby Anderson, who bolted as a free agent, but it allowed him to retain linebacker Jordan Jenkins and cornerback Brian Poole on team-friendly deals.
Look, every team overpays to some extent -- $9 million-a-year for right tackle George Fant raised eyebrows around the league -- but Douglas' business model should serve them well over the long haul.
