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We’re going to put the draft series on hold for a day to address the signing of Frank Gore . . .
While Joe Douglas has final say on player personnel, this was clearly a move that Adam Gase pushed.
Just like he pushed for Luke Falk, Demaryius Thomas and David Fales.
If you had issues with how Falk played last year, perhaps you should blame Gase. Being around the team, you got the sense that Gase felt behind the eight ball when Falk had to play after losing Sam Darnold temporarily to mono, and Trevor Siemian to an season-ending ankle injury, but he bears a lot of responsibility for Falk being on the team. The Jets bounced promising rookie free agent Brandon Silvers for Falk, right after the Dolphins released Falk. Silvers has a much better arm than Falk, but Falk played for Gase in Miami. You do the math.
Look, there’s nothing wrong with bringing in some players who have background with the coach, because they arrive comfortable with the playbook. So they don’t have to learn it from scratch.
But Falk doesn’t have a strong arm, Neither does Fales. And Thomas was traded by the Patriots to the Jets because he wasn’t healthy. He had a hamstring injury, and then he couldn’t stay healthy with the Jets and had to go on IR.
Gase has proven to be a poor personnel guy, perhaps because he’s too emotional and reactionary. He had final say in Miami, and once got rid of three offensive linemen after a rough game for the Dolphins’ line. That is very unusual in the world of NFL player personnel.
So it’s good for the Jets that he doesn’t have final say – Douglas does. But clearly every once in a while, Douglas is going to assuage the coach.
But why do you need to bring in a 37-year-old running back? As mentor to 28-year-old Le’Veon Bell?
Also, the team has a bunch of talented young running backs in Trenton Cannon, Josh Adams, Kenneth Dixon and Lamichal Perrine. Why did you need Gore? To be a mentor. Why not make him a coach?
And by signing Gore, instead of re-signing Bilal Powell, this is yet another example of constant regime change leading to long-time Jets being shown the door unceremoniously, like David Harris. And that is bad for a football culture. Just because new people come in, they shouldn’t ignore the history certain players have with the organization. This isn’t to say you keep players for sentimental reasons, but who thinks Gore is better than Powell right now?
Recently on Rich Cimini’s podcast, Gase made news when he said wants to “lessen the load” on Bell.
“Hopefully, we can get some of the younger backs to where we can make a good one-two punch to where we can really excel instead of feeling like it’s just all on him all the time,” Gase said.
So you were looking for a younger back to provide a one-two punch with Bell, and you sign the oldest running back in the league? I’m not being a wise guy. Look at what he said, and then what they did.
May 5, 2020
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