The biggest story of the Jets' offseason was their purge - Mike Maccagnan's systematic dismantling of the roster by getting rid of every high- or moderately-priced veteran he could find. Some were outraged, considering it to be proof that the GM didn't know what he was doing. Others thought it was proof of the Jets' plan to tank. Just curious: Is anyone complaining now? Never mind that the Jets are 2-2, proving that even if they're not good, they certainly are more capable than anyone gave them credit for being. Just look at the long list of veterans Maccagnan purged from his team. Look at what they're doing - or not doing in most cases. Look at how far they've fallen from what they were. And when that's compared to the cap room and draft picks and players Maccagnan got in return, it's clear in every case that he made the right move. It's early, and of course, things can still change. But here's a quarter-season look at the victims of the Jets purge, how they're doing, and how that compared to what the Jets gained by booting them out the door. Keep in mind, this doesn't include free agents the Jets let walk (like QB Ryan Fitzpatrick), or crazy contract options the Jets didn't pick up (like with T Ryan Clady, LB Erin Henderson). Also, keep in mind the salary cap space can be carried over to 2018. K NICK FOLK Cut on Feb. 23 Jet gain: $3 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: Chandler Catanzaro, who has made 9 of 11 field goals (missing twice from 45 yards) Where is he now?: Currently the kicker in Tampa, though maybe not for long after his disaster against the Giants on Sunday when he missed two field goals (46, 49) and an extra point and looked real shaky on the 34-yard game-winner. RT BRENO GIACOMINI Cut on Feb. 23 Jet gain: $4.5 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: Brandon Shell (and Brent Qvale on Sunday). Where is he now?: Starting RT for the Houston Texans on a line that has struggled early in the season. C NICK MANGOLD Cut on Feb. 26 Jet gain: $9.07 million in salary cap space. Roster replacement: Wesley Johnson Where is he now?: Out of football. WR BRANDON MARSHALL Cut by Jets on March 2 Jet gain: $7.5 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: Jermaine Kearse (18-182-2), Jeremy Kerley (13-92-0), plus rookie ArDarius Stewart (3-34-0). Where is he now?: With the Giants where he's been a huge disappointment, catching just 16 passes for 139 yards during their miserable, 0-4 start. CB DARRELLE REVIS Cut on March 9 Jet gain: $9.3 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: CB Morris Claiborne, who doesn't have any interceptions but had his best game of the season Sunday vs. the Jaguars Where is he now?: Out of football. S MARCUS GILCHRIST Cut on May 4 Jet gain: $4.6 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: Promising and impressive rookies Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye. Where is he now?: With the Houston Texans, where he's started one of the first four games, has three passes defensed and one interception. S CALVIN PRYOR Traded to the Cleveland Browns on June 1 Jet gain: LB Demario Davis (the trade also added about $2.2 million in salary cap space to their books). Roster replacement: Adams and Maye. Where is he now?: On the Jacksonville Jaguars' injured reserve list with an ankle injury. The Browns cut him before Opening Day after he got into a fight with his teammate. LB DAVID HARRIS Cut on June 6< Jet gain: $6.5 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: Davis, who has 40 tackles and a half-sack this season. Where is he now?: With the New England Patriots, where he was inactive on Sunday after playing just seven snaps through the first three games. WR ERIC DECKER Cut on June 12 Jet gain: $7.25 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: Kearse and Kerley Where is he now?: With the Tennesse Titans where he's started two of four games and caught 12 passes for 104 yards and no touchdowns. DL SHELDON RICHARDSON Traded to the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 1 Jet gain: WR Jermaine Kearse, a 2018 second-round draft pick, plus $5.9 million in salary cap space Roster replacement: DE/LB Kony Ealy, who has no sacks, five passes defended and an interception. Where is he now?: In Seattle, where he has no sacks and 12 tackles and has made little impact through four starts.
Credit where credit's due, Mac made some nice moves. Does Bowles get credit too, or is he still a bum?
I still don't get why people were bitching at the time. The only decent player we got rid of was Sheldon and with his piss poor attitude, it doesn't matter to me. Everyone else was old, slow, and regressing.
Just a quick side by side... Sheldon Richardson 7 tackles 5 assisted 0 sacks 0 INT 0 FF 0 PD Kony Ealy 6 tackles 2 assisted 0 sacks 1 INT 0 FF 5 PD Are either of them sexy? No. But one of them was traded away and netted us a 2nd round pick plus a good player. The other was picked up for free as a replacement. Macc nailed this one, with an assist from the Pats.
we only won 5 games last year WITH all those expensive guys. why not clean them out and build up cap space to keep guys we already have or get a few upgrades in the future? teams like the packers, eagles, and steelers have done this for years. last time i checked our rtecord against them is mostly south of .500
The first two games of this season, Bowles looked like the same bum he was the last two years. The last two weeks, however, are a different story. It's an amazing transition. I truly hope that he had an epiphany and now will become a good, if not very good HC. If he does, I will change my mind and want to keep rather than fire him. After all, if he proves capable, it's in the team's best interests to keep him. Morton is doing a great job. I don't know if Rodgers has come up with the creative ideas on D, or if it was Bowles or perhaps the DB coach, but thing have been better the last two weeks and given some reason for hope. If the team continues to look prepared, plays hard, smart and tough, and can fix some of its weak areas, my opinion of Bowles will change. The key for me is when/if he plays Petty, Hack, Stewart and Hansen.
I don't think Bowles is as bad as he looked the first two weeks or as good as he looked the last two weeks. Also I guarantee people would be blasting him if we lost in overtime instead of won.
Yep... The one thing that I noticed at the stadium (Other than the Snowflakes staying home) is the amount of NRG this team seems to have... all day, every Quarter. Ask yourself this, when was the last time you saw the D still playing hard and going 100% after giving up a 10pt lead in the 4thQ on 2 SOJ type plays? This is what the youth gets you but Just waiting for the other shoe to drop and cost us a game..... I hope not but..... ....it WILL happen.
I am not gonna celebrate this team just yet, but I do agree with this. We were no better with those expensive vets on the team. Good of Mac to see this and tune out the media hoopla.
Shouldn't have went to overtime, he cost the team 3 points at the end of the half taking the delay of game after the fake punt. He has to be more organized. That said, i expect the calls for his head to resume after the patriots game. Fickle crowd us jets fans
And just to add a little gem from Brandon Marshall back in July... "Do what I did: Ask for a release, get out of there," Marshall said. "I just knew I couldn't be in that environment. I think everyone knows the type of personality I am at this point in my career. I wouldn't have made it through an entire season knowing that we didn't have a chance. That's all you want as a player. You just want a chance." Let us all not forget he asked for his release because he wanted to play for a contender. So how is your "chance" in that "environment"?
I cannot believe 3 years after these abortionists joined the Jets, the results show the team to have very little talent and barely able to maintain a .500 record. Yet boat loads of you yahoos are standing in line waiting to stroke Mac's cockatoo. So I guess insisting Jets fan REQUIRE some sort of positive results is way too much? You guys are deranged.
He's coached a solid two games. Much better than most of 2016. I still want a head coach that can help develop a young quarterback. I don't think he's that guy. I'm obviously getting way ahead of myself, but I could possibly foresee a situation where Morton is promoted so that we do not lose him. Similar to what the Buccaneers did with Dirk Koetter. Of course they had the advantage of having their young franchise quarterbacks support in that move. Koetter also had 9 years as an offensive coordinator. This is Morton's first year as OC. But I like what he's done thus far.
yea, i think you are getting ahead of yourself. i have no problem with the coach being on the defensive side,if,if i say,he is going to have the right o.c./qb coach and understand that the qb is priority 1, his defense should be able to work because of his scheme and not need all high end talent. bowles needs to shift his priorities in that area, from my point of view. but i think he has the coaches necessary
Yeah definitely. Morton needs to continue the positive work he's done so far. I like what I see a lot so far though. It's the first time really in my entire fandom with the Jets that I've liked our offensive coordinator, so it makes me giddy.
There was some suggestion that this was an option play signalled for by Miles because he was uncovered and not a planned move. If that was the case it would have been as much a surprise to Bowles as it was to the Jags. I can cut him some slack on this basis.