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They need to do some bold things . . .
. . . in terms of personnel decisions this summer.
I’m talking about picking the final 53 and the 22 starters.
There should be no “confirmation bias” this summer at all.
And “confirmation bias” has hurt the Jets for many years.
What is “confirmation bias?”
It’s general managers and head coaches keeping players or starting players because of where they were picked in the draft or how much they make.
This has been a big problem for the Jets for a number of years and has contributed to some rough seasons.
This is an area that New England has a big advantage over most other teams. Bill Belichick doesn’t get involved in this tomfoolery.
It’s crazy man (or woman) to make personnel decisions based on “confirmation bias.”
I don’t know if Adam Gase and Joe Douglas will do this in the future, but there is no excuse for them doing it this summer.
Obviously, if you want to have a winning program, there is no excuse to ever do it, but this summer is a unique opportunity for the Jets’ personnel department to truly run a total meritocracy.
Think about it. The lion’s share of the Jets’ roster was picked by a GM, Mike Maccagnan, who was fired May 15. He ran free agency and the draft for the Jets for the 4.5 years.
So now you have a GM, hired in June, picking the roster, who didn’t pick or sign most of the players on the current roster. How unique is that? And you have a coach, who while he doesn’t have final say, will have tremendous input, and he clearly wasn’t on board with some of the moves made by the former GM, a man he helped force out.
So they should use this unique landscape to make some bold, gutsy personnel decisions that make Jets fans and beat reporters say, “Where’d that come from?”
If I hear one more question to Adam Gase, Sam Darnold or other offense players – “How tough is it facing Gregg Williams defense every day,” I’m going to scream.
Look, I think Williams is a heck of defensive coordinator, but this isn’t a great defense.
And it’s not Williams fault. It’s based on personnel deficiencies, and some square pegs in round holes, during a transition year from one defensive system to another. Some guys who fit the old system don’t fit the new system very well. If you think the Jets are playing a lot of 3-4 under Williams, you are kidding yourself. It’s not happening.
Gregg Williams, Gase and Douglas need to do make some major changes to the personnel status quo on defense. The Jets’ defense stunk last year, so don’t worry about blowing things up.
I’m not going to mention who shouldn’t play or make the team, but I will say that guys like Frankie Luvu, Harvey Langi. Tarrell Basham, Neville Hewitt, Bronson Kaufusi and Doug Middleton should play a lot.
And perhaps some people not here yet, should also be in the mix once the season starts.
Williams is a heck of a DC, but this isn’t a great defense right now, no matter how many times Jets offensive players are asked – “How tough is it face Gregg Williams defense in practice every day.” That question has become cliche.
The bottom line is Douglas, Rex Hogan, Phil Savage and Gase have to make a lot of decisions this summer that shock the world and eschew the status quo.
After all, this should be a season sans “confirmation bias.”
August 14, 2019
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