The Jets are ramping up their search for a new general manager and should begin interviewing candidates soon.
There is no rush since they are the only team in the NFL looking for a GM and face no competition. It is also a point on the calendar when the GM’s work decreases greatly.
The search could take a few weeks as Jets CEO Christopher Johnson searches for the “strategic thinker” he said he wants to replace Mike Maccagnan, who was fired Wednesday after a little more than four years on the job.
After Johnson fired Maccagnan, he said he believes the Jets won’t have a problem attracting good candidates.
“I think this is going to be a real attractive job,” Johnson said. “I don’t think we’re going to have any trouble finding a good GM here. I think this is an excellent spot.”
Not everyone around the NFL agrees. After talking to several people around the league, there are plenty of factors a potential Jets GM must weigh. There are only 32 GM jobs in the NFL, so they will find someone who wants the job, but it may not be the easy sell Johnson expects it to be.
Here are some of the factors for any potential GM, good and bad:
Who is running the show?
Any candidate is going to want to know the power structure inside the Jets. Johnson said Wednesday that the pecking order would remain the same with the coach and GM both answering to him. But some outsiders look at the Jets and wonder how much meddling goes on from other top members of the organization.
One league source said anyone who interviews should get a definitive answer about the roles of president Neil Glat, senior vice president Hymie Elhai and Johnson adviser Ira Akselrad and how much say they will have into football operations.
What about Woody?
The Jets have an odd ownership situation right now with primary owner Woody Johnson serving as ambassador to the United Kingdom and his kid brother running the team in his absence. Woody Johnson could return to the Jets in 2020 depending on whether President Donald Trump is reelected.
If you are a GM getting hired by Christopher Johnson, do you worry about what happens when Woody comes back? Does that make you feel less secure in the job?
Working with Adam Gase
Most general managers want to hire their own head coach or at least feel like they will get the opportunity to do so after a season. This GM will be inheriting Gase, who appears to have just won a power struggle with Maccagnan inside the organization. Taking a job with a head coach who clearly has the owner’s ear might scare off some candidates.
Now, the names that are already circulating — led by Eagles exec Joe Douglas — all have history with Gase and that might ease this concern.
The fallout from this week
The Jets looked terrible with how they handled the Maccagnan firing. Christopher Johnson lost credibility this week. The organization looks dysfunctional again. If you are a general manager with options, you may take a pass at coming to the Jets. We have seen candidates like Chris Ballard, Ryan Pace and Eric DeCosta turn down opportunities to interview with the Jets in the past because they knew a more stable job would develop for them.
The quarterback is in the building
Here is the one giant positive for the Jets: Sam Darnold is on the roster. A new GM is not going to take this job searching for a quarterback. Most people in the NFL feel Darnold is the real deal. His presence is a huge plus for the Jets.
The rest of the roster
The new GM is going to take over a roster that is 95% complete for 2019. They will be able to tinker, but for the most part the roster is set. How they view that roster will shape how the candidates feel about the job.
In speaking to people about the Jets roster, there is a lot of positivity about Darnold, Jamal Adams, C.J. Mosley, Leonard Williams and Quinnen Williams. But people have major concerns about the offensive line, lack of an edge rusher and their talent at cornerback.