Mike Maccagnan

Changes Coming To Jets Front Office?

April 27th, 2019 at 8:48am CST by Ben Levine

Many in the league expect changes in the Jets front office after the draft, Mike Lombardi of The Athletic hears. Lombardi notes that GM Mike Maccagnan is on the hot seat, which could lead to a shakeup in the scouting department. It’s not immediately clear whether Maccagnan himself could be in jeopardy after the draft wraps up, though it would be a shock if the GM were to get the axe before the start of the season.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Rich Cimini echoes other reports of friction between Maccagnan and new head coach Adam Gase. Specifically, Cimini says the two had disagreement over free agency strategy, with CEO Christopher Johnson visiting team facilities to “observe the dynamic between the coach and general manager.” Predictably, the GM downplayed the friction between the two.

“Actually, I think Adam and I have worked very well together,” said Maccagnan. “I’m sure, like in any process, there are times where … you know, you work through the process.

“It’s just like in a scouting meeting. You might have different opinions on a player. But, from my standpoint, I’ve actually had a very good working relationship with Adam. Quite frankly, as I’ve said before, he has a very good sense of humor. He makes me laugh quite a bit, which is one of the reasons why I like working with him.”

While some pundits ran with Lombardi’s story and assumed that Maccagnan’s job was in jeopardy, Cimini says “from all indications, the Jets have no plans to make a change.” The general manager naturally wouldn’t discuss his job security, noting that his focus is on the draft.

“I don’t think I’m really going to sit here and comment about my job,” Maccagnan said. “I’m focused on the draft. I feel good about the situation we’re in. I feel very good about working with Adam going forward.”

New York Notes: Beckham, Collins, Maccagnan

February 17th, 2019 at 12:15pm CST by Rory Parks

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. is once again being mentioned in trade rumors, with one prominent national writer expressing his belief that OBJ will be dealt this offseason. Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv, though, believes the Giants would be foolish to pull the trigger. For all of his perceived character issues, Beckham is well-liked in the locker room, displays a strong work ethic, and generally holds himself accountable when things go badly. He has done and said things that the team would obviously prefer he didn’t, but on the balance, he is an irreplaceable talent, and Vacchiano believes the Giants would be well-served to simply deal with whatever distractions Beckham creates, as they have not been damaging to this point (at least not when compared to his on-field production).

Now for more from the Big Blue and Gang Green:

Ryan Dunleavy and Matt Lombardo of NJ.com debated a few of the most pressing issues facing the Giants this offseason. Dunleavy believes that somehow taking care of Landon Collins should be the club’s top priority, and it still seems likely that the team will put the franchise tag on him. After Collins, Dunleavy believes the next unrestricted free agent that the Giants should prioritize is cornerback B.W. Webb, while Lombardo believes the club should focus on Russell Shepard, who should not be overly expensive to retain.
While Dunleavy and Lombardo agree that trading Beckham will hurt the Giants in the short-term, they both appear convinced that he will not see the end of his five-year contract with the team, and that trading him will be in the team’s best interest at some point in the near future.
The Jets hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019, and since they already have (they think) their franchise signal-caller, they could trade that pick to a QB-needy team for a bounty of draft capital. As Vacchiano suggests, the Giants are one team that could be giving the Jets a call.
The Jets have 23 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, and Brian Costello of the New York Post offers his thoughts on some of the biggest names on that list and whether they will return next season. Costello believes 2018 revelation Henry Anderson will be retained, while the futures of Morris Claiborne and Jason Myers are a little more uncertain.
Costello believes the Jets will tender RFA Robby Anderson at the second-round level, which is in keeping with what we have heard before.
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has a spotty free agent record, a poor draft record (outside of the first round), and has put together a potentially volatile coaching staff in 2019. With a ton of cap space and a young talent under center, the potential is there for Maccagnan to engineer a quick turnaround, but as Vacchiano writes, if the team does not show good progress in 2019, the blame will fall squarely on Maccagnan, and not new head coach Adam Gase.

AFC East Notes: Brady, Dolphins, Jets

February 4th, 2019 at 8:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the Patriots‘ third Super Bowl title of the decade, they again have their legendary quarterback going into a contract year. Robert Kraft is on board with another Tom Brady extension, but no talks have commenced yet, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Brady has never played into a contract year. While some uncertainty existed around Brady’s place with the Patriots last offseason, Breer adds the key parties are on good terms this year. The 41-year-old quarterback said before Super Bowl LIII he was not going to retire, and an extension would bring down his $27MM cap number. Brady signed team-friendly deals in 2013 and ’16 around the Combine those years.

With the quarterback market finally making big strides over the past year and change, Brady’s demands could justifiably increase. Brady’s historic contributions to the franchise notwithstanding, Bill Belichick may not be wild about a possible $30MM-AAV contract for Brady that runs into future Hall of Famer’s mid-40s, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran offered during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (video link). Of course, with the Patriots an annual title contender and no heir apparent in place, it would seem unthinkable a Brady pact does not get done this offseason.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

Although Ryan Tannehill is not expected to return to the Dolphins, GM Chris Grier said no decision has been made on that front. The Dolphins are expected to trade or release Tannehill, and the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets a photo of the seven-year Dolphin quarterback has been removed from their press room. Grier wants input from Brian Flores and his new staff on the 30-year-old quarterback, but the Dolphins are expected to move on from their six-season starter. With an eye on the 2020 quarterback class, they are not believed to be targeting a high-priced free agent to replace Tannehill, either.
Armed with nearly $100MM in cap space and a GM potentially on the hot seat, the Jets make sense as Le’Veon Bell‘s buyer. While one report indicated New York won’t use a bank-breaking approach to land the All-Pro running back, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes the Jets are still zeroed in on Bell. The soon-to-be 27-year-old back is still believed to prefer the Colts, per Vacchiano, but Indianapolis may not view him in the same light.
Some turmoil has already hit Gregg Williams‘ new team. Mike Maccagnan and Adam Gase initially did not view Blake Williams as a hiring priority for the Jets’ defensive staff, and this irked Blake’s father, according to ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Gregg Williams was frustrated with Maccagnan and Gase, but the new Gang Green DC won out, with Blake Williams signed on as linebackers coach. Blake upset some Rams staffers during his time as St. Louis assistant, before being fired after the 2013 season, Cimini notes, adding the young coach has developed somewhat of a polarizing reputation.
The Jets may have an issue trading Leonard Williams, with a $14.2MM salary due, but Vacchiano points out the general consensus around the NFL is the 2015 top-10 pick has been misused in New York. With the Jets moving to a 4-3 look under Gregg Williams, Leonard Williams is not a lock to be back. Of course, Gregg Williams may view the former 3-4 defensive end as a weapon in his scheme. The Jets are light on surefire front-seven talent, so their new DC might want some capable veterans to stay.

Jets Notes: Enunwa, Tomlinson, Offseason

December 29th, 2018 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

The Jets signed receiver Quincy Enunwa to a multi-year contract extension yesterday, with the four-year pact coming in at $36MM (and about $20MM in guaranteed money). The 2014 sixth-round pick out of Nebraska has spent his entire career with the Jets, and he’s excited to stick with the organization for the foreseeable future.

“I knew when I got here that I wanted to be a Jet for a very long time,” Enunwa told the team website. “Now, I’ll get my opportunity and it feels really good.”

The 26-year-old broke onto the scene in 2016, when he hauled in 58 receptions for 857 yards and four scores. He missed the entire 2017 season with a neck injury, and he’s appeared in only 11 games this year. However, he’s clearly gaining the trust of quarterback Sam Darnold, and Enunwa is confident that the duo will continue to improve.

“I’m excited for the future and for some more big plays,” Enunwa said. “And I think there is a lot in store for us as a team.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of New York…

The Enunwa extension was the “first big contract” that was negotiated by Dave Socie, points out Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). Socie was hired as the team’s Senior Director of Football Administration during the summer after previously serving in the role back in 2006. In this role, Socie works with general manager Mike Maccagnan on all things contracts and salary cap.
The Jets placed tight end Eric Tomlinson on injured reserve earlier this week, but it doesn’t sound like the 26-year-old suffered his injury on the field. Rather, Costello tweets that Tomlinson dropped a weight on his foot, leading to a pair of lacerated toes. The accident forced the tight end to undergo surgery, ending his season. Tomlinson had started 12 of his 15 games this season, serving mostly as a blocking tight end. The former Texas-El Paso standout has 16 career receptions for 193 yards and one touchdown.
Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.TV believes the Jets should be prioritizing experience as they search for a new head coach. The writer opines that the organization “can’t afford to be wrong with their next hire,” as they’ll be risking Darnold’s formative seasons. Fortunately, Vacchiano believes Maccagnan and CEO Christopher Johnson recognize this, as the team has already been connected to experienced coaches like Jim Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy. The writer also believes the team should give a look at former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes that the Jets should use their draft picks and $100MM+ in cap space to build a formidable team around Darnold. Specifically, Cimini says the team should make a “serious run” at running back Le’Veon Bell, and he also lists offensive line, receiver, and edge rusher as positions of need. The writer also suggests shopping defensive end Leonard Williams, who is set to earn $14.2MM next season.

Latest On Jets, Jim Harbaugh

December 24th, 2018 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets are expected to fire Todd Bowles in less than a week, and they may well be going after an impact replacement in Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

Responding to the Pro Football Talk report, Jets chairman Christopher Johnson denied the organization has any interest in Harbaugh (Twitter link). Johnson said Bowles is the team’s head coach. Although, this does not indicate Bowles will be the team’s head coach in 2019. PFT stands by its report connecting the Jets and Harbaugh (via Twitter).

If the Jets are able to pull off this coup, Mike Maccagnan would be on board, Florio notes. Of course, with the fourth-year GM’s job not exactly stable, he may not be in a position to provide strong resistance here. Frequent tension surfaced between Harbaugh and former 49ers GM Trent Baalke, and that divorce pushed that franchise into a rebuild.

While the Jets are denying this, doing so after Harbaugh said earlier this month he was staying at Michigan, there figures to be more news coming on this front. It’s possible the Jets looked into Harbaugh and learned he was not going to be available, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets. Harbaugh has not addressed the Jets rumors.

Harbaugh led the 49ers to three straight NFC championship games in his first three years as their head coach. The Jets are reportedly willing to give him a raise from his $7MM Michigan salary, as he will almost certainly be the highest-profile name involved in this coaching search.

Jets HC Todd Bowles Disputes Reports Of Tension

December 8th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Ben Levine

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported earlier this week that there was a serious division between Jets head coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan. Predictably, Bowles was quick to dismiss the rumors in an interview with SNY, and he attributed the rumors to one unknown individual in the organization.

“There’s never been any tension with me or anybody else in this building,” Bowles said (via Mehta). “It’s a professional place. There’s a lot of good people in here and we treat people the same way. It’s unfortunate someone has their own agenda in mind. I guess that’s between him and Manish (Mehta), whoever that person is. But usually the person that throws the first stone is usually the culprit. So, they’re probably trying to protect or hide something. But most of the organization is not like that. It’s unfortunate that we had that said.”

The initial report indicated that the two men have been professional towards each other throughout their tenure in New York, although Mehta says the underlying tension “has created an unproductive working environment.” The team is reportedly set on retaining Maccagnan and firing Bowles, although the Jets will have to show improvements on the field if the general manager hopes to keep his job beyond 2019.

As our own Zach Links pointed out, Maccagnan will have to showcase the scouting skills that got him his gig in the first place (64% of players drafted by the Jets from 2015-2018 are still on an active NFL roster, versus the league average of 76%). The general manager also has to wisely use the team’s $100MM+ in cap space, although he shouldn’t necessarily be blamed for previously costly contracts.

Major Rift Between Jets’ Bowles, Maccagnan

December 6th, 2018 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

It has not been a happy marriage for Jets head coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan, as Manish Mehta of the Daily News details. While the two have been professional in their interactions with each other, Mehta hears that there has been a serious division between the two and a whole lot of mistrust.

There have been numerous disagreements between the two men, including a dispute over Alvin Kamara in the 2017 draft. Jets coaches begged the GM to trade up for the University of Tennessee running back, but Maccagnan refused to pay a premium for him. Maccagnan attempted to satisfy then-offensive coordinator John Morton by selecting Alabama wide receiver ArDarius Stewart that year, but he quickly washed out and so did Morton.

Morton was the second of three OCs to serve under Bowles, and the lack of continuity has undoubtedly hurt the Jets and their efforts to build a potent offense. That’s probably part of the rationale in the team’s reported plans to keep the GM and fire Bowles this offseason.

If Maccagnan hopes to stay with the Jets beyond 2019, he’ll have to display the scouting acumen that got him hired in the first place. Only 64% of players drafted by the Jets from 2015-2018 are still on an active NFL roster, versus the league average of 76%. While he’s hit on his first round picks and found some keepers in the late rounds of the draft, Maccagnan’s track record in rounds 2-5 leave much to be desired.

Maccagnan must also use the Jets $100MM+ in cap room wisely. The Jets had tons of cash to spent last spring, but they whiffed on quarterback Kirk Cousins and settled for a monster deal with cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The former Rams standout has struggled all season and his five-year, $72.5MM deal may prove to be a costly error.

AFC Notes: Jets, Browns, Harris, Ravens

December 3rd, 2018 at 8:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McCarthy may well have options going into this coming hiring period, but the Jets might not be a great fit. The status of GM Mike Maccagnan will likely be a deterrent for a coach with other options — in the likely event Todd Bowles is fired soon — multiple NFL executives told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv. The New York GM has just one more season remaining on his deal and is not expected to follow Bowles out the door. A lame-duck decision-maker could spook McCarthy. With former Packers execs John Dorsey, Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf in Cleveland, many people around the league believe McCarthy will end up with the Browns, Vacchiano notes. The Browns also have a young quarterback and are projected to possess more than $86MM in cap space. While that’s not on the Jets’ level ($106MM-plus), Vacchiano adds McCarthy is known as being a bit sensitive to criticism. That might be an issue in jumping from the league’s smallest market to its biggest.

Here’s more from the Jets and the latest from the AFC:

Josh McCown received another start for the Jets on Sunday, doing so despite Sam Darnold being at or close to 100 percent. The rookie quarterback lobbied to play against the Titans during warmups, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, but Bowles stuck with McCown. Bowles would not commit to Darnold starting against the Bills in Week 14, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports Darnold showed he was healthy in practice and will likely return Sunday.
On the subject of possible quarterback switches, the Ravens may be able to put off their decision for another week. Joe Flacco was not moving too well this week, walking with a noticeable limp, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets. While the Ravens could be forced into a choice of benching Lamar Jackson (3-0 as a starter) and returning to Flacco for a pivotal game in Kansas City, this call might be tabled. The possibility of Flacco returning as the starter at some point this month is not out of the question, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, but Jackson may see more work off the bench than he previously did when Flacco was healthy. The difficult prospect of preparing for the quarterbacks’ disparate skill sets intrigues John Harbaugh, per Rapoport, so the Ravens may keep it quiet if they do intend to pivot back to Flacco.
Although the Broncos improved to 6-6 Sunday, it came at a cost. Denver lost one of its top players in Chris Harris to a fractured fibula. However, the All-Pro cornerback is not going to be placed on IR and has a goal of returning before a potential playoff game. The eighth-year defender wants to return by Week 17, when the Broncos play the Chargers in what could be a key game — if Denver wins out and receives help — for Vance Joseph‘s team. “I always heal fast,” Harris told Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com.“I’ve got the right people around me to help me get back fast and I’ll work night and day to get back. My goal is three weeks, but they said four. My goal is three weeks because I want to play against [the Chargers].” Harris’ other notable injury (a torn ACL) came against the Chargers in a 2013 divisional playoff game, but the corner returned by Week 1 in 2014.
By intercepting three passes, Harris already cashed in $200K of the incentive package he agreed to in the offseason. But another key financial bump is tied to playing time. Despite standing to miss perhaps the rest of the regular season, Harris can still earn an additional $300K if his 736 snaps end up being 65 percent of Denver’s season total, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic notes (subscription required), adding that scenario is in play.

Jets Notes: Maccagnan, Bowles, Anderson, Darnold

November 25th, 2018 at 1:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

If the Jets’ season continues to go the way it has gone so far, it’s very likely that head coach Todd Bowles will be fired after the season. GM Mike Maccagnan is apparently in far better shape with ownership, and “all indications” are that “Maccagnan will survive this mess of a season and get a chance to finish his rebuilding project”, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. While Maccagnan seems like a heavy favorite to survive, Cimini writes that it’s unclear exactly how much power he’ll have.

Cimini writes that it’s an open question whether or not Maccagnan will get to be the one who hires New York’s next head coach, and notes that the pairing of Bowles and Maccagnan was an “arranged marriage” from ownership. For what it’s worth, Cimini thinks the Jets will “add a couple of years to Maccagnan’s deal” if they keep him, so it doesn’t send the impression that the GM has less job security than the new coach. While Maccagnan will hang on by the skin of his teeth, the way everyone is talking now it seems like a foregone conclusion that Bowles’ days are numbered.

Here’s more from New York:

Robby Anderson is a very talented young receiver, but has dealt with multiple off-field incidents as well as injuries this season, so Cimini thinks he might not be long for the team. Anderson will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and while Cimini expects the Jets to tender him, he thinks they might look to trade him next offseason. He mentions the Eagles as a possible trade destination, and notes that the Eagles “tried to pry him away” from the Jets at the trade deadline. He also thinks the team might just let him walk if a team signs him to a huge offer sheet this spring. It was reported earlier this week that the Jets are trying to get an extension done with fellow receiver Quincy Enunwa, and it seems like the team definitely values Enunwa more than Anderson moving forward.
Sam Darnold isn’t playing today against the Patriots, and it looks like he might not play next week either. While Darnold could still possibly return in Week 13, “the following week is more likely”, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Rapoport writes that the Jets want to take it easy on Darnold and make sure he’s 100 percent healthy before returning. The team isn’t going to rush him back, so it’ll likely be Josh McCown again next week against the Titans.

Todd Bowles Likely To Be Fired At End Of Season

November 18th, 2018 at 9:29am CST by Rory Parks

This will not come as much of a surprise, but Jets head coach Todd Bowles is facing an “uphill battle” to keep his job at the end of the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport echoes earlier reports that Bowles is not expected to be fired until the 2018 campaign is over, but in an interview with Rich Eisen of the NFL Network, RapSheet adds that the team does plan to give Bowles the pink slip at season’s end, barring an unforeseen change in circumstances (video link).

The Jets are coming off a horrific 41-10 loss to the lowly Bills, and while Rapoport indicates that there is no dysfunction in the team’s locker room, a number of players, including high-profile veterans, did not appear to be playing particularly hard during the Buffalo game. That obviously reflects poorly on the head coach, and while Bowles has been saddled with mostly uninspiring rosters during his time in New York, he has also not done much to suggest that he will be able to right the ship moving forward.

Of course, the same can be said for GM Mike Maccagnan — the architect of those mediocre rosters — though Rapoport also confirms a report from earlier this week that Maccagnan is likely to be given at least another year in his post. That means that he will also have a significant voice in determining who the next head coach will be, so the Jets are putting a lot of faith in a man who has done little to deserve it to date. But, with a promising young quarterback in tow and a ton of cash to spend, Gang Green is hoping Maccagnan can assemble a playoff-caliber squad in 2019.

Bowles has compiled a 23-35 record during his three-plus years as the Jets’ head coach, but he will not be hurting for opportunities even if he does get fired. Rapoport suggests that Bowles — who turns 55 today — is nonetheless expected to receive interest for head coaching positions around the league.

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