I give McCagnan credit. He gave the Cousins thing a shot thinking perhaps he could save his job by acquiring a competent QB in the prime of his career and using the cap space and draft capital to build around him. Of course Cousins was “Plan A”, because he’s a great option for a regime on the hot seat. Don’t think for a minute McCagnan has any conviction with all three of these QBs. If he was so confident why would he have even offered a boatload of cash to Cousins in the first place? McCagnan knows the only way he can save his job at this point is to pick a QB that gives the fans something to believe in next year. The roster is still rotten and contending for anything other than the #1 pick next year is out of the question. 2017 was all about identifying enough promising young players on the roster to keep his job. Fortunately for him McCown had a career year and made the owner feel that the team was brimming with young talent when they really aren’t (that’s the reason the Jets have cap space). 2018 is all about finding the QB. McCown can’t save him this year, so he needs to rely on either Teddy finding the fountain of the youth or the QB he drafted playing well. McCagnan may not be the best GM in the league, but he does come across as a decent guy. Hopefully he can get it right because I’d hate to see him get fired. With that said I would strongly advise him not trade next years #1 pick. Nobody will remember the three 2nd round picks he traded, but if he trades next years #1 and this team tanks it will be an ugly December at MetLife.
Why in the world would he trade the 2019 1st? He made his move with the 3 number 2s. In fact I think he did everything in his power to keep that 2019 1st in negotiations and should be commended to be honest. I’m not the biggest Mac fan because I believe being a GM the proof is in the pudding and his results have been a C- thus far. This is his opportunity to save his job and needs to hit a home run at #3 and at least 2 starters from the rest of our picks.
I feel bad for us. He’s going to draft Josh Allen, get himself fired, and we are going to have to deal with another bust for 5 seasons.
Maccagnan is trying to build something for the long term. It's not as simple as saving his job. 2017 was figuring out if Petty could emerge and he clearly did not. Hack was never ready to play. Unfortunately he struck out with Petty/Hack. This is understandable because they are 2nd and 4th round picks respectively, but drafting a QB with the #3 overall is much different than a project like Hack or Petty. Ultimately, this pick will decide his fate. This off season has been pretty decent so far. If he can set us up with Rosen in the draft, I feel it will be a slam dunk.
Maccagnan is the Groupon GM. Always finds a deal similar to what he’s actually looking for but not as sexy as the real thing.
I disagree with people thinking like this 100%. It's ridiculous and insulting. You can like Darnold, Rosen, Allen or Mayfield and believe each could be a franchise QB, but also consider Cousins plus your 1st Round Pick and 3 2nd Round picks as better than any of them. Because it likely is. By far. It makes no sense to me to insult a guy for having plans and back-up plans and back-ups to his back-up plan. It's smart. Mac has handled things well so far. He can only control so much.
What I believe is that missing on Cousins will prove to be the best thing it could had possibly have happened to Mac.
Exactly. Cousins plus $70m, the #6 pick and second rounders means the team has a realistic play off chance in the coming season. Of course that's plan A. A rookie at #3, no second rounders and bit more cash for FA doesn't give you the same instant return. It might give you a better long term chance though. That's rightly plan B. He also covered plans C and D too with Bridgewater and McCown. There's not much more he can do.
You feel bad for somebody making 5M a year or whatever and can continue to be incompetent in his job? I salute him.
I never think the Jets will win big name FA battles. A lot of people nowadays think NY and the NY press sucks. They also hate NYS taxes
It is not always a case of "big star or bust." Allen may become a pedestrian QB. His arm may carry him that far. The idea is to build a team that can win with a seviceable QB. I do not view the pick as all or nothing. The guy may be decent. We will want more for a high pick, but anything less than star is not a bust. GMs are about team building, not just QB drafting. That requirement could be what finishes Macc.
How could he be confident he would grab one of the top 3 QB's from pick #6? He in fact did show his confidence in at least one of the 3 by trading up.. If you have the $ to go after a big time QB and you really need one badly why WOULDNT Kirk be your plan A? He's played his cards right .. now he has to pick the right QB. If he does I believe his job will be secure for a lonnnnnngggg time.
Nobody put a gun to Macc's head and made him go BPA-D his first several drafts as Jet GM. In fact, the Jets as an organization owns what has happened to this offense going back to Rex with the addiction to BPA-D. Macc chose the win now route when he banked on Fitz. Fitz has a career year so Macc rolls the dice a second time. It doesn't work out. FF to 2017. Macc chose the safe route by signing McCown as a bridge to Hack. McCown has a career year so Macc rolls the dice a second time. We'll find out if this works.. Macc is consistent if nothing else. He's also human and we all make mistakes. Point being, Macc has to take a different track in 2018. He has to prove he can judge Qb talent and given the failures of his first two attempts, I can't imagine the pressure he's under. Is this Macc's last stand? only if the team completely craters the season. Extension or not, I would imagine his seat is toasty..
A lot of people would disagree with you. A "pedestrian" QB at #3 overall is unacceptable. If Allen is a middle of the pack QB, he will be labeled a bust.
Label away, that is fine. But if he starts and starts regularly then to me, he is not a bust. What Hack has done is worthy of the term "bust". Lots of first rounders never get to the Pro Bowl
I would be pretty happy with a pedestrian QB. If we end up with a Matthew Stafford type QB that is anywhere from 14th to 21st best in the league (depending on who you ask) I would be pretty happy as it not only beats the odds but its much better than QB we have had the last 10 years.
While our GM is making his last stand, most of his problems are self inflicted. He has no responsibility or control over the head coaching position but the team's record over the last few years has been due to the personnel he has added to the team during his watch. I really hate how much he gave up to move up three spots but now he has his chance to pick the player that will be the face of this franchise for the next few years at least.
Why do you think McCown got $10M this year? Bowles and McCagnan both owed him a debt of gratitude for still being here.
