Tag: John Idzik

Rex Ryan wanted Jets to draft Travis Kelce, Tyrann Mathieu in 2013

Rex Ryan wanted John Idzik to draft Travis Kelce and Tyrann Mathieu in 2013. but the Jets GM ignored Ryan and went with his own plan.

The Chiefs have two of the best players in the NFL in Travis Kelce and Tyrann Mathieu. Kelce is arguably the most dynamic tight end in all of football, while Mathieu has developed into an All-Pro safety.

In an alternative universe, those two are playing for the Jets right now.

Rex Ryan was high on Kelce and Mathieu entering the 2013 NFL draft — so high that he pleaded with then-general manager John Idzik to pick them, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Idzik opted not to listen to Ryan, instead forming a draft class that made little to no positive impact on the organization.

Idzik selected Dee Milliner and Sheldon Richardson with his two first-round picks. Milliner battled injuries and never came close to being the lockdown cornerback he was supposed to become. Richardson produced with the Jets, but was plagued by off-the-field troubles. Picking Geno Smith in the second round amounted to next to nothing and Idzik’s late-round pick didn’t last long in the league.

Only Brian Winters — selected in the third round with the 72nd overall pick — developed into a piece the Jets kept around beyond his rookie contract.

Kelce was selected in the second round by the Chiefs, while the Cardinals drafted Mathieu in the third round. Both were available when the Jets picked in the second round. Hindsight is always 20/20 — especially when it comes to drafting — but Idzik dropped the ball in a big way.

New York is still trying to rebound from its poor drafting under Idzik. Mike Maccagnan wasn’t any better than his predecessor and early indications are that Joe Douglas has a clue, but his 2020 class hasn’t panned out too well. At the very least, Douglas utilizes a collaborative process when it comes to drafting. If Robert Saleh has input on a player, Douglas will listen and consider his head coach’s advice.

Idzik didn’t afford Ryan that luxury and it cost the Jets two All-Pros.

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Brian Winters thanks Jets for 7 seasons after joining Bills

Brian Winters said his goodbyes to the Jets after seven seasons with the organization.

Brian Winters is officially a Buffalo Bill after seven seasons with the Jets.

Winters said his goodbyes to Gang Green after he signed a one-year deal with the Bills on Thursday. The deal is worth $3 million with $2 million guaranteed.

In his goodbye letter, posted on Instagram, Winters thanked the Jets for taking a chance on him seven years ago. He also said there were a lot of good and bad moments, but he’ll always cherish his memories in New York.

The Jets took Winters in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Kent State. In seven seasons, Winters started 79 of the 89 games he played in, primarily at right guard. His 2020 season was cut short due to a shoulder injury.

Winters was one of the last remaining players from the John Idzik and Rex Ryan eras. He and Quincy Enunwa were both released this past week, so there are officially no more Jets players who played under Idzik and Ryan.

The Jets will see Winters and the Bills right away in Week 1 up in Buffalo and again in Week 7 in East Rutherford.

Sam Darnold now Jets’ longest-tenured No. 1 pick

Sam Darnold is now the longest-tenured No. 1 draft pick on the Jets current roster following the Jamal Adams trade.

Sam Darnold, who was the Jets’ No. 1 pick in 2018, is now the longest-tenured first-rounder on New York’s roster. Seriously.

When the Jets shipped Jamal Adams to Seattle, they joined the Las Vegas Raiders as the only two teams that don’t have a single one of their first-round picks from 2011-17 on their rosters, according to ESPN’s Stats & Information. The Jets made eight selections in the first round over that span, while the Raiders have made just five.

While the Jets were able to net a massive haul for Adams, the deal highlighted the organization’s draft failures. New York’s drafting history, specifically in the first round, is a large reason why the team hasn’t played into late January since 2010, which was three head coaches and four general managers ago.

The Jets have been the worst team in the NFL when it comes to drafting over the past 10 years, according to a study done on drafting efficiency from 2010 to 2019 by Football Outsiders. That’s why it comes as no surprise that the team’s first-round picks from 2011-17 are no longer part of the franchise’s nucleus. With the recent departure of Adams, just 11 of New York’s 72 draft picks since 2010 remain on the active roster.

Four of those first-round selections (Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples, Calvin Pryor and Dee Milliner) are no longer in the league. Leonard Williams and Darron Lee never lived up to their draft slot, while Adams and Sheldon Richardson fractured their relationships with the organization.

The team’s consistent drafting struggles have put more of an emphasis on the team hitting on its first-round picks. That’s certainly a reason why the Jets’ power structure refused to take no as an answer from Joe Douglas. He was brought on board to take the stench out of the Jets war room and his drafting resume speaks for itself.

Whether it’s fair or not, the pressure is now on Darnold to shift the tide. He is now the face of the franchise and although he’s shown flashes of looking the part, he still has plenty to prove heading into year three.

Jordan Jenkins, Steve McLendon now the longest-tenured Jets

Following the departures of Quincy Enunwa and Brian Winters, Jordan Jenkins and Steve McLendon are now the Jets longest-tenured players.

Now that both Brian Winters and Quincy Enunwa are no longer with the organization, Jordan Jenkins and Steve McLendon are the Jets’ longest-tenured players.

Both defenders joined the Jets in 2016 when ex-Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan was calling the shots.

Winters and Enunwa were the last two players on New York’s roster who held ties to both John Idzik and Rex Ryan. They joined the Jets in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Winters, a long-suspected cap casualty, was released on Sunday. A former third-round pick out of Kent State University, Winters had been with the Jets for the past seven seasons, starting 79 of 89 games in his career with Gang Green. In less than 24 hours, he was able to find a new home in Buffalo. His departure saved the Jets $7.28 million in cap space.

As for Enunwa, the Jets officially released the oft-injured wide receiver on Monday. Enunwa had already been ruled out for the 2020 season and was on the team’s reserve/PUP list. Enunwa showed flashes of promise but was never able to stay on the field due to multiple neck injuries and a spinal stenosis diagnosis. Enunwa missed the entire 2017 season with a neck injury but bounced back for a sound performance as the team’s No. 3 receiving option in 2018. Enunwa was then signed to a four-year, $36 million contract extension but wound up playing just one game on his new deal.

New York got no salary relief by releasing Enunwa.

Winters and Enunwa’s departures will leave a void in the locker room, but both Jenkins and McLendon have been leaders in their own rights.

Although McLendon is now 34 years old, the defensive tackle has shown no signs of slowing down. McLendon has become one of Maccagnan’s better and more underrated additions during his time in New York. He has severed as the heart and soul of Gang Green’s defense and has helped the Jets locker room navigate through tumultuous times. For example, with the Jets unable to workout at the team’s facilities in Florham Park back in May, McLendon opened up his gym in Georgia for his teammates to come train.

McLendon’s future with the organization beyond 2020 is currently up in the air, however.

Jenkins has been one of New York’s rare mid-round draft picks that has panned out. Coming back to lead the unit after his free agent market didn’t take off, Jenkins has consistently been one of New York’s strongest pass-rushers. He could play himself into a contract extension this year if he keeps getting after the quarterback.

As of now, no current Jet has been with the organization for more than four seasons. Joe Douglas continues to rebuild the roster from the bottom up and with that, there has been plenty of turnover. Whether Jenkins or McLendon is part of the organization’s future remains to be seen,

With Quincy Enunwa’s release, Rex Ryan’s Jets are extinct

There are no players left from any of Rex Ryan’s teams following Quincy Enunwa’s release.

Quincy Enunwa was the last man standing from the Rex Ryan era, but his release put a close on that chapter of Jets football.

The Jets moved on from Enunwa on Monday after six seasons with the organization. The wide receiver was already going to miss the 2020 season due to a lingering neck injury.

Enunwa was drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of the University of Nebraska. He emerged in 2015 when he had 315 receiving yards in 12 games. Enunwa broke out in 2016 when he recorded 857 receiving yards and four touchdowns. However, his NFL career was derailed by neck injuries, first in 2017, then in 2019 and now again in 2020. There’s a chance he never plays football again.

Enunwa’s release also means that the Jets no longer employ any players who played for Rex Ryan. Prior to Sunday, Brian Winters was only other player remaining from Ryan’s teams, but he was let go on and has since signed with the Bills. Ryan coached the Jets from 2009-2014 before he was fired.

Enunwa’s release also means that all of John Idzik’s draft picks are no longer with the team. The Jets now have zero picks on the team from before the 2016 NFL Draft. They have one player from the 2016 draft, Jordan Jenkins, and one player from the 2017 draft, Marcus Maye, still with the team. New York still has four of its players from the 2018 draft and five from the 2019 draft.

All these draft picks that are no longer with the team shows how poorly the Jets have drafted this decade. It also shows hows Joe Douglas has overturned New York’s roster in his first year as Jets general manager.

If he hopes to turn the tide this decade, he will have to be a much better drafter than his predecessors.

John Idzik’s draft picks essentially all gone after Jets release Brian Winters

John Idzik only has one draft pick left on the Jets following the release of Brian Winters.

Two players from the John Idzik era remained on the Jets’ roster before the team decided to cut Brian Winters on Sunday. Now only one is left — and he’s not even going to play in 2020.

Winters was officially cut by the Jets on Sunday. The move saved the Jets $7.2 million in cap space.

Idzik, now a consultant for the Jaguars, picked Winters out of Kent State in the third round of his first-ever draft as Jets GM in 2013. Winters became a fixture on New York’s offensive line for seven years and one of just a few good picks made by Idzik.

Winters started in 79 of the 89 games he played in for New York. He only played in six games in 2014 due to a torn ACL. In 2017, Winters missed three games because of an abdomen injury. Last season, Winters was out for seven games because of a shoulder injury.

Idzik was a poor drafter in his two years as Jets general manager. Of Idzik’s 19 total draft picks, only six are still in the NFL. That includes Winters, Quincy Enunwa, Oday Aboushi, Geno Smith, Dakota Dozier and Sheldon Richardson. Enunwa remains the lone Idzik draft pick under contract with the Jets, but he will miss the 2020 season due to another neck injury. There is a strong possibility his career is over.

In other words, not a single Idzik pick will play for the Jets this year.

Study shows Jets have worst drafting efficiency in NFL over last 10 years

According to a study done by FootballOutsiders.com, the Jets have been the 32nd best team in the NFL at drafting over a 10-year period.

The Jets’ drafting miscues have long been documented.

The team has struck out numerous times in recent years and it’s why, entering the 2020 NFL Draft, New York had the fewest homegrown players in the NFL.

So it should come as no surprise that the Jets have been the worst team in the NFL when it comes to drafting over the past 10 years, according to a study done on drafting efficiency from 2010 to 2019 by Football Outsiders.

Other than two drafts (2010 and 2011), when the Jets had a combined 10 picks across two separate drafts, New York hasn’t exactly lacked draft capital. As the study shows, the Jets have the worst return on capital in the NFL, which lines up with the team’s struggles.

For the past five seasons (this study doesn’t count 2020), under both Mike Maccagnan and John Idzik’s scouting departments, the Jets remained at the bottom in the league in terms of return on draft capital. According to the study, they haven’t even approached an average return.

Next, the study looks at draft return vs. draft capital. This percentage is utilized by dividing each team’s draft return by its draft capital in each year. A score of 100 percent, which by the study’s standards is league-average, would indicate that teams are getting the talent back, depending on the sheer amount of draft capital they had.

Over the last decade, the Jets have only had two above-average drafts, coming in 2011 and 2016. Besides that, New York has averaged 74 percent over a 10-year period, which is the worst in the NFL. Three of the Jets’ drafts (2010, 2014 and 2015) are in the bottom 10 percent. With that, New York has the worst return on capital in the NFL and its roster certainly reflects that.

This study excludes this past April’s draft, but looking at New York’s current roster construction, just 14 of New York’s 72 draft picks since 2010 remain on the active roster — this is with Quincy Enunwa’s season-ending prematurely and his carer in doubt. Those players include Brian Winters, Jordan Jenkins, Jamal Adams, Marcus Maye, Sam Darnold, Chris Herndon, Nathan Shepherd, Folorunso Fatukasi, Trenton Cannon, Quinenn Williams, Chuma Edoga, Trevon Wesco, Blake Cashman and Blessaun Austin.

Unfortunately for Gang Green, this study by Football Oustiders isn’t exactly a revelation. The Jets’ drafting woes have played a huge part in why the team hasn’t played into late January since 2010, which was two head coaches and three general managers ago.

With New York whiffing on its picks, it tried to offset misses in the draft by throwing big money at free agents like Darrelle Revis, Trumaine Johnson, C.J. Mosely and Le’Veon Bell. That strategy has yet to be successful and it’s why the Jets have given the keys to the franchise to Joe Douglas. It goes against Douglas’ upbringing to make splashes like that in free agency,. Rather, he was taught to build through the draft. With Douglas’ first draft behind him, the Jets are hoping that he can right the wrongs of the past and start hitting on picks.

If not, New York will be stuck in the same holding pattern its been in for the past decade.

Jamal Adams contract feud reminiscent of Darrelle Revis standoffs

The Jets once again have a contract dispute with a superstar defensive back.

The Jets are experiencing a bit of déjà vu this offseason.

Jamal Adams’ desire for a new contract or a trade is eerily similar to Darrelle Revis’ two contract disputes during his time in New York. Each one ended differently for him and the Jets, and they offer a stark reminder of what could happen if Gang Green decides to sign or trade Adams. 

Much like Adams, Revis sought a new contract three years after the Jets drafted him in the first round. Revis held out for most of the team’s offseason workouts and missed all of the preseason in 2010 before then-GM Mike Tannenbaum handed Revis a four-year, $32 million contract. 

Revis and Adams each had good reasons for wanting new deals so early in their careers. Both were/are coming off their second-consecutive Pro Bowl season and first All-Pro selection. The defensive backs established themselves as one of the best at their respective positions. Revis and Adams also had/have familial influences fueling their standoffs. In 2010, Revis was advised by his uncle, Sean Gilbert, a former defensive lineman in the NFL who skipped an entire season in search of a new contract. Adams, meanwhile, knows long-term security is incredibly important as early as possible after his father, George Adams, had his career cut short by injury.

Revis rewarded the Jets with two more All-Pro seasons in New York after his new deal, but another contract dispute loomed in 2012 when Revis hinted he might hold out again. Revis ended up attending training camp that offseason but missed all but two games of the 2012 season after tearing his ACL in Week 2.

The Jets and Revis couldn’t come to an agreement after the 2012 season while Revis rehabbed from his injury, so the Jets opted to trade the star cornerback to the Buccaneers before the 2013 season. He signed a mega six-year, $96 million deal with the Bucs that included no guaranteed money. The Jets received the Buccaneers’ 2013 first-round pick – which they used on Sheldon Richardson – and a 2014 fourth-round pick – which they used on Jalen Saunders. 

Then-GM John Idzik’s reason for trading Revis in 2013 sounds like something Joe Douglas could say if he ends up trading Adams instead of signing him to an extension. 

“It was never our intent to proactively go out and shop Darrelle. It was never our goal to have Darrelle leave the Jets,” Idzik said after the trade. “On the contrary, we wanted Darrelle to remain a Jet for the long term, ideally. But Tampa reached out and displayed a sincere and sustained interest in Darrelle.”

The Jets would much rather go down the road of the first Revis contract dispute than the second one with Adams. Douglas and company have stated multiple times they want Adams to be a “Jet for life” and are willing to sign him to a long-term deal – just not now. They want to wait until after the 2021 season. Adams, though, knows how fragile his career is and either wants his money now or he wants to be traded.

If the Jets want to avoid the drama that developed out of both Revis’ contract standoffs, they should make a decision regarding Adams’ future on the team sooner rather than later – whether that be with a check or a trade. Either way, the Jets once again have a big decision to make with a generational defensive back.

The Idzik 12: With Quincy Enunwa hurt, only 1 of Jets’ 2014 picks remains active

Here’s an updated look at the infamous ‘Idzik 12,’ now that Quincy Enunwa’s Jets career is in jeopardy.

John Idzik’s infamous 2014 draft class is no longer represented on the Jets roster.

New York had 12 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, the most of any team. The draft was a disaster though, as Idzik and the Jets wound up with one of the worst classes in franchise history. It’s a big reason why the Jets have the least amount of homegrown players in the NFL.

The one diamond in the rough? A sixth-round pick out of the University of Nebraska by the name of Quincy Enunwa. However, Enunwa is set to miss yet another season with yet another neck injury, which means there won’t be a single member of the Idzik 12 on New York’s active roster in 2020. Even worse, only one member of that draft class remains on any team’s active roster.

With Enunwa on the PUP list, we thought it was time to revisit Idzik’s horrid dozen picks.

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