F
flgreen
Guest
Mike Maccagnan: Jets can 'definitely' win with Ryan Fitzpatrick
Dom Cosentino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 19, 2016 at 11:15 AM, updated January 19, 2016 at 11:27 AM
Mike Maccagnan's philosophy on finding a franchise quarterback is that it takes time to develop a franchise quarterback.
But what about Ryan Fitzpatrick, the quarterback Maccagnan already has with the Jets?
Fitzpatrick is coming off a record-setting season, albeit one that ended with a disappointing finish when the Jets had a chance to make the playoffs in a year in which the AFC appeared to be wide open.
Fitzpatrick's contract expires in March, and he and the Jets have both said they want to stay together (hint: they will).
But does Maccagnan think he can win with Fitzpatrick?
"I definitely think Ryan's a quarterback we can win with," Maccagnan, the Jets' general manager, told WFAN's Mike Francesa in a recent radio interview.
"Everybody kind of looks for that, whatever, if you call it franchise quarterback, or a very high-caliber quarterback, whatever the case may be. We had success this year, and had we played better at some point in time in one of those six losses, we could have been in the playoffs. And once you get there, anything could happen.
"The one thing I will say is this: I do think we can success with Ryan. But the thing I liked about our team this year was that, like I said before, they all kind of complemented each other well. So if you can build a good, solid team—and I'm not just talking, not just offense, defense, also special teams—we can go out there, hopefully, and be competitive, and compete for the playoffs. We can do it with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, and Bryce Petty as our quarterbacks."
Two ways to look at this:
1. Maccagnan obviously is going to say he can win with Fitzpatrick. He and head coach Todd Bowles want Fitzpatrick back, and they wouldn't feel that way if they didn't think they could win with him. They also recognize how much Fitzpatrick fit with all the pieces around him, from the offense coordinator Chan Gailey designed to the skill-set of the Jets' receivers to Fitzpatrick's ability to win the respect of his teammates, both with his toughness and his fun-loving personality. The Jets undoubtedly came up short in 2015, but for once, their offense consistently functioned. That's not something to dismiss because of one game (crucial though that game was). And don't forget: Fitzpatrick likely won't break the bank for the Jets this offseason.
2. Maccagnan has also said he's still keeping all of his options open. The free-agent market—which would be costly—isn't exactly brimming with enticing possibilities. And the plan for the draft is to treat quarterback like any other position: The Jets have the No. 20 pick, but they won't force the issue by reaching for quarterback with any of their six selections. Instead, they will try to draft the best player available, be it a quarterback or anyone else. And, as we saw last year, Maccagnan also isn't shy about the possibility of making trades.
Maccagnan's stated goal, after all, is to win in 2016, but to set the Jets up to remain competitive in the years that follow.
He understands the hand he's been dealt, but he also sees just how successful and close the Jets were with the group they had in 2015. At the same time, Maccagnan is keeping an eye on having the entire roster—not just the quarterback position—stocked for the long haul, with sensible salary-cap implications.
"But it's one of those things," Maccagnan told Francesa. "You're constantly trying to make sure you're making lots of decisions and trying to bring in talent into the team, and stockpiling young talent that hopefully [will] grow, develop, and then be impactful. But I do feel like we can be a competitive team with Ryan, and go out there and compete for the playoffs. And if we were able to get in, see what happens."
Dom Cosentino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 19, 2016 at 11:15 AM, updated January 19, 2016 at 11:27 AM
Mike Maccagnan's philosophy on finding a franchise quarterback is that it takes time to develop a franchise quarterback.
But what about Ryan Fitzpatrick, the quarterback Maccagnan already has with the Jets?
Fitzpatrick is coming off a record-setting season, albeit one that ended with a disappointing finish when the Jets had a chance to make the playoffs in a year in which the AFC appeared to be wide open.
Fitzpatrick's contract expires in March, and he and the Jets have both said they want to stay together (hint: they will).
But does Maccagnan think he can win with Fitzpatrick?
"I definitely think Ryan's a quarterback we can win with," Maccagnan, the Jets' general manager, told WFAN's Mike Francesa in a recent radio interview.
"Everybody kind of looks for that, whatever, if you call it franchise quarterback, or a very high-caliber quarterback, whatever the case may be. We had success this year, and had we played better at some point in time in one of those six losses, we could have been in the playoffs. And once you get there, anything could happen.
"The one thing I will say is this: I do think we can success with Ryan. But the thing I liked about our team this year was that, like I said before, they all kind of complemented each other well. So if you can build a good, solid team—and I'm not just talking, not just offense, defense, also special teams—we can go out there, hopefully, and be competitive, and compete for the playoffs. We can do it with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, and Bryce Petty as our quarterbacks."
Two ways to look at this:
1. Maccagnan obviously is going to say he can win with Fitzpatrick. He and head coach Todd Bowles want Fitzpatrick back, and they wouldn't feel that way if they didn't think they could win with him. They also recognize how much Fitzpatrick fit with all the pieces around him, from the offense coordinator Chan Gailey designed to the skill-set of the Jets' receivers to Fitzpatrick's ability to win the respect of his teammates, both with his toughness and his fun-loving personality. The Jets undoubtedly came up short in 2015, but for once, their offense consistently functioned. That's not something to dismiss because of one game (crucial though that game was). And don't forget: Fitzpatrick likely won't break the bank for the Jets this offseason.
2. Maccagnan has also said he's still keeping all of his options open. The free-agent market—which would be costly—isn't exactly brimming with enticing possibilities. And the plan for the draft is to treat quarterback like any other position: The Jets have the No. 20 pick, but they won't force the issue by reaching for quarterback with any of their six selections. Instead, they will try to draft the best player available, be it a quarterback or anyone else. And, as we saw last year, Maccagnan also isn't shy about the possibility of making trades.
Maccagnan's stated goal, after all, is to win in 2016, but to set the Jets up to remain competitive in the years that follow.
He understands the hand he's been dealt, but he also sees just how successful and close the Jets were with the group they had in 2015. At the same time, Maccagnan is keeping an eye on having the entire roster—not just the quarterback position—stocked for the long haul, with sensible salary-cap implications.
"But it's one of those things," Maccagnan told Francesa. "You're constantly trying to make sure you're making lots of decisions and trying to bring in talent into the team, and stockpiling young talent that hopefully [will] grow, develop, and then be impactful. But I do feel like we can be a competitive team with Ryan, and go out there and compete for the playoffs. And if we were able to get in, see what happens."
