Content available exclusively for subscribers
It’s time for a heaping helping of Jets Website Whispers from the Senior Bowl in Mobile. Let’s get it started . . .
I know you have heard this over-and-over through the years, but the NFL is a quarterback-driven league.
You saw that with the final four this year – New England (Tom Brady), Pittsburgh (Ben Roethlisberger), Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers) and Atlanta (Matt Ryan).
And now it’s obviously down to Brady and Ryan, perhaps the two best quarterbacks from this past season.
Today at the Senior Bowl, Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams spoke to the media. The Browns staff is coaching the South team.
There was a New Orleans reporter in town, and he asked Williams something about the Saints (obviously with “Bountygate” in mind).
He couldn’t stop raving about Drew Brees.
“Drew Brees makes a lot of coach’s smart,” Williams said. “Everything with that team funnels through him.”
Perhaps this was a shot at Sean Payton, but just another example of what I’m talking about – the enormity of the QB position in the NFL. Absolutely huge.
So Mike Maccagnan better pull something magical out of his bag of tricks this off-season or the Jets are going to be in a heap of trouble next season.
It would be shocking if Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg is the guy in 2017. I’m not writing off Hackenberg like some, but it’s highly unlikely that he’s going to ready to be the starter, or at least a “winning-record starter,” in 2017.
The Jets need to find some backup on another team ready to emerge, maybe like Cincinnati’s A.J, McCarron, who I find VERY intriguing. Maybe trade for Philadelphia’s Chase Daniel, a good game-manager, a poor man’s Brees.
But the point is simple – we can talk about offensive line needs, pass rush needs, safety needs and so forth, but if you don’t have an answer under center, it’s all a moot point.
I can tell you one thing for sure, the answer isn’t coming out of the Senior Bowl this week. Not a strong QB class down here . . .
During a big chunk of practice today, Maccagnan was watching from the sideline with Charley Casserly.
Remember, Casserly was the league consultant, who was used by the Jets in their GM and coach search in 2015, and he recommended Maccagnan for their GM spot.
Somebody down here in Mobile pointed out to me that the team’s looking for GM’s and coaches this year aren’t using the league consultants.
Why?
There is a sense that the consultants are pushing their guys on teams.
Three years ago, the San Diego Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars both hired proteges of another league consultant.
The Jets went with Maccagnan, a long-time scout under Casserly, in both Washington and Houston.
Look, I’m not casting aspersions on Maccagnan. The jury is still out.
I’m just saying the league consultant committee has kind of gone out of vogue because of the perception that the consultants are pushing their guys . . .
Speaking of Maccagnan, I’m going to share something with you guys way off the beaten path. See the photo above at the Senior Bowl, it’s Maccagnan, with local guy from the Mobile-area. Not sure what he does, but he got a media field-pass, and he’s a huge Jets fan. Look at Mike’s body language. He’s trying to figure out a way to get out of the conversation. I should have given the guy some questions. Maccagnan wasn’t made available to the press at the Senior Bowl. I give the guy credit. He just went over and started talking to Maccagnan. He didn’t care whether he liked it or not.
January 26, 2017
Premium will return on Monday by 9:30 pm. Tomorrow is a travel day for me, heading back from Mobile. I just came for the practices.
