Jets general manager Joe Douglas sat in the press box Thursday night, watching his current team get dismantled by his first team 42-21. Douglas, seated alongside front-office lieutenants Rex Hogan and Chad Alexander, maintained a poker face throughout the game, but it had to be jarring. Reality stings.
For Douglas, who grew up as a scout in the Baltimore Ravens' organization and learned at the side of former GM Ozzie Newsome, it was a punch-in-the-face reminder that the job he accepted in June is bigger than he might have imagined. It's a good thing Douglas got a six-year contract.
The Ravens are the best team in the AFC. The Jets (5-9) are one of the worst teams. The Ravens have a Class of '18 quarterback (Lamar Jackson) who is rewriting the record book. The Jets have a Class of '18 quarterback (Sam Darnold) who shows tantalizing promise but still experiences normal growing pains. The Ravens have a Super Bowl-winning coach in John Harbaugh. The Jets have Adam Gase, whose career record is 28-34.
This offseason, Douglas needs to be an extraordinary Joe as he attempts to clean up the mess he inherited. Two thoughts about the offseason as we sit here on Dec. 15:
There will be a head-spinning amount of roster turnover. I'm predicting 50%, which is huge even by today's standards.
The Jets will have a good amount of practical salary-cap space, but not crazy space like last the past league year.
The league announced last week the 2020 cap could top $200 million. The projected range is $196.8 million to $201.2 million, up from $188 million.
The Jets have $62 million in space, per overthecap.com -- a number that will rise to at least $81 million once Douglas gets done with veteran cuts. The projected amount is deceiving, though, because the Jets will have 40 players under contract and will have to pay significant dollars to re-sign wide receiver Robby Anderson and linebacker Jordan Jenkins and perhaps extend safety Jamal Adams.
Douglas needs to spend judiciously. Doling out top-of-the-market contracts isn't the answer, as the Jets prove every year.
In terms of potential cuts, guard Brian Winters ($7.3 million savings), wide receiver Quincy Enunwa ($2.4 million), cornerback Trumaine Johnson ($3 million) and linebacker Avery Williamson ($6.5 million) are among the big-name candidates.
Most of the roster is replacement level. The Jets have the quarterback, a terrific safety in Adams (if they don't trade him) and a few other solid pieces. If it weren't for Darnold, the Jets would be in the same boat as the Miami Dolphins (3-10), a tanking-level team. That's scary.
In my opinion, only 19 players are virtual guarantees to make it to training camp.
On offense: Darnold, Jamison Crowder, Vyncint Smith, Ryan Griffin, Chris Herndon, Trevon Wesco, Chuma Edoga and Jonotthan Harrison.
On defense: Quinnen Williams, Henry Anderson, Steve McLendon, Kyle Phillips, Nathan Shepherd, Folorunso Fatukasi, C.J. Mosley, Marcus Maye, Blessuan Austin and Blake Cashman.
*You can add Adams if you don't think he will be traded.
On special teams: Thomas Hennessy, the long-snapper.
Douglas spent 15 years in the Ravens' organization, starting at the bottom wrung of the ladder. He witnessed firsthand the importance of patience, continuity and conviction, traits that have been foreign at One Jets Drive. The good news is he has a blank canvas and can create his own picture. If you're a Jets fan, you can only hope he's not drawing with crayons.
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For Douglas, who grew up as a scout in the Baltimore Ravens' organization and learned at the side of former GM Ozzie Newsome, it was a punch-in-the-face reminder that the job he accepted in June is bigger than he might have imagined. It's a good thing Douglas got a six-year contract.
The Ravens are the best team in the AFC. The Jets (5-9) are one of the worst teams. The Ravens have a Class of '18 quarterback (Lamar Jackson) who is rewriting the record book. The Jets have a Class of '18 quarterback (Sam Darnold) who shows tantalizing promise but still experiences normal growing pains. The Ravens have a Super Bowl-winning coach in John Harbaugh. The Jets have Adam Gase, whose career record is 28-34.
This offseason, Douglas needs to be an extraordinary Joe as he attempts to clean up the mess he inherited. Two thoughts about the offseason as we sit here on Dec. 15:
There will be a head-spinning amount of roster turnover. I'm predicting 50%, which is huge even by today's standards.
The Jets will have a good amount of practical salary-cap space, but not crazy space like last the past league year.
The league announced last week the 2020 cap could top $200 million. The projected range is $196.8 million to $201.2 million, up from $188 million.
The Jets have $62 million in space, per overthecap.com -- a number that will rise to at least $81 million once Douglas gets done with veteran cuts. The projected amount is deceiving, though, because the Jets will have 40 players under contract and will have to pay significant dollars to re-sign wide receiver Robby Anderson and linebacker Jordan Jenkins and perhaps extend safety Jamal Adams.
Douglas needs to spend judiciously. Doling out top-of-the-market contracts isn't the answer, as the Jets prove every year.
In terms of potential cuts, guard Brian Winters ($7.3 million savings), wide receiver Quincy Enunwa ($2.4 million), cornerback Trumaine Johnson ($3 million) and linebacker Avery Williamson ($6.5 million) are among the big-name candidates.
Most of the roster is replacement level. The Jets have the quarterback, a terrific safety in Adams (if they don't trade him) and a few other solid pieces. If it weren't for Darnold, the Jets would be in the same boat as the Miami Dolphins (3-10), a tanking-level team. That's scary.
In my opinion, only 19 players are virtual guarantees to make it to training camp.
On offense: Darnold, Jamison Crowder, Vyncint Smith, Ryan Griffin, Chris Herndon, Trevon Wesco, Chuma Edoga and Jonotthan Harrison.
On defense: Quinnen Williams, Henry Anderson, Steve McLendon, Kyle Phillips, Nathan Shepherd, Folorunso Fatukasi, C.J. Mosley, Marcus Maye, Blessuan Austin and Blake Cashman.
*You can add Adams if you don't think he will be traded.
On special teams: Thomas Hennessy, the long-snapper.
Douglas spent 15 years in the Ravens' organization, starting at the bottom wrung of the ladder. He witnessed firsthand the importance of patience, continuity and conviction, traits that have been foreign at One Jets Drive. The good news is he has a blank canvas and can create his own picture. If you're a Jets fan, you can only hope he's not drawing with crayons.
Early look at roster overhaul that awaits talent-starved Jets
General manager Joe Douglas will have his hands full this offseason as he attempts to clean up the mess (four straight losing seasons) he inherited.
