The New York Jets Have No Option but to Fire Rex Ryan Regardless of His 2014 Season Results.
The New York Jets have become the Ringling Bros and Barnum Bailey Circus of the NFL. This hasn’t been a rush in evolution, it has been orchestrated by a string of mistakes that should never have been made. Mike Tannenbaum, the ex-Jet GM, now sports agent for Priority Sports and Entertainment, deserved a lot of blame but that dog doesn’t hunt anymore with the Jets freeing up their salary cap space. Will the circus leave town now that the Jets have a new GM, John Idzik?
Dysfunction personified
The New York Jets are to dysfunction as the Magic Kingdom is to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” The last few years in New York has been a series of laughs and fits of crying. Just look at the affable, loud mouth Rex Ryan , now, “I am skinny Rex, the timid one” as the ringmaster of this circus environment. Comes in and guarantees the playoffs, makes two of them but loses fast in both first rounds. Cue the circus music, the show is coming to town and it is staying for a long time. From “The Butt Fumble” to the Tim Tebow media circus, it is one tragic event after another. To dismantling a defensive secondary by not signing LaRon Landry, to trading Darrelle Revis and now the release of Antonio Cromartie is a ridiculous strategy if the goal was to win. They created their own QB controversy, had a glaring need to replace their entire receiver corps and then decided to self implode their secondary. Who does these things? The general idea was to build upon the secondary, not have to re-invent it. But that’s The N.Y. Jets and this is their world and no wonder they took to that reality show, like ducks take to water.
Jets hire new GM to fix things
With the hiring of John Idzik has come change. Proclaimed falsely as one of the builders of the Seattle Seahawks, he was able to capitalize on this nonsense and become GM of the Jets even though he has never held that position in the NFL. In reality, he was the paper pusher who did player contracts and watched the salary cap, his title with the Seahawks was “Vice President of football administration.” A glorified accountant, not a good judge of football talent.
GM Idzik’s strange moves
Some strange moves since becoming GM have been the recent passing on wide receiver DeSean Jackson when he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles. The cutting of Darrelle Revis and then the subsequent passing on re-acquiring Revis when he was released by the Tampa Bat Buccaneers. Then unforgivably allowing Jet enemy #1, the New England Patriots sign him for $4 million less than the Jets would have paid him. Not resigning CB Antonio Cromartie and allowing the Arizona Cardinals to sign him for pennies on the dollar after Cromartie matures as a man and understands New York better than any player on the team. A true leader, an excellent player and Idzik lets him walk . The signing of running back Mike Goodson who found himself in a legal mess almost instantly with the possession of a firearm illegally, the signing of veteran QB David Garrard who quickly retires with a knee injury in two short months and THEN comes back in October saying his knee is fine. Then in last year’s draft The Jets use the 1 st round pick that they got from Tampa Bay for Revis and they spend it on a CB. Are ya kidding? This is the world of Gang Green, my beloved New York Jets. You just can’t make this up.
Good Moves BY GM Idzik
I am a fair guy and have no issue giving credit where it is earned. GM Idzik drafts Sheldon Richardson, a true star that will anchor the Jets front four for many years to come. The free agent signings of WR Eric Decker, QB Michael Vick and Chris “CJ2K” Johnson are sure to upgrade the Jets immediately. The 2014 NFL draft saw the Jets prioritize their secondary again by taking Safety Calvin Pryor with their first round, 18th pick. I can’t say it wasn’t a good move as they needed the help desperately at Safety but I wonder why they didn’t draft a wide receiver like Brandin Cooks who was on the board and get a safety later.
Rex is under the gun
Rex is in his 5th season and most likely his last if the Jets don’t figure out how to win on the road and make the playoffs. I am almost certain Rex Ryan had little say in the 2014 NFL draft as evidenced by GM Idzik conservative style. He should have been trading up and down all day, cherry picking the players that would immediately impact on the field. He didn’t , he started the day with 12 draft picks and finished with 12 draft picks and didn’t get a bona fide #1 wide receiver. Jets finished 8-8 last year and with the great job GM Dennis Hickey is doing with the Miami Dolphins and the perennial AFC East, odds on favorites to repeat, the New England Patriots, the Jets will be lucky to break the .500 mark. Personally, I see very little chance of them making the Playoffs. Oh well, I still love my Jets and I like Rex Ryan but he will be fired at the end of the 2014 season unless they win the division and make a VERY deep run in the playoffs.
JibbJabber 