Jets Played for Fools by General Manager Candidate

New Jaguars’ general manager David Caldwell has successfully played the Jets for fools.

The New York Jets have been looked at as a foolish group for quite some time now. David Caldwell and the Jacksonville Jaguars successfully showed you why, and how easy it was to show.

For anyone who doesn’t know by now, David Caldwell is the new general manager of the Jaguars. He was also a candidate that was highly coveted by our New York Jets, so much so that he was brought to New Jersey for a second interview via Woody Johnson’s private plane. He did, in fact, begin negotiations with the Jets, but all the while, he was also ironing out a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He said that he didn’t want to cancel his time with the Jets until a deal was struck with the Jaguars, but the implication was clear. He was using a return trip to Florham Park to leverage a deal with the team he really wanted to work for, the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Now, in the days that have followed, we learn how badly that Caldwell and the Jaguars really did play the Jets. First, we learn that Jags owner Shad Khan encouraged Caldwell to interview with the Jets. It seems kind of odd when you think about it, why would an owner that really wants to hire you, encourage you to interview with another organization? But, by itself, you can give it the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Kahn was trying to be a nice guy, letting him entertain all opportunities available. But, when you pair it with yesterday’s announcement from Caldwell’s press conference, it becomes clear that the Jags played the Jets like a fiddle.

Cut to yesterday’s press conference, when David Caldwell is introduced to the media. During that presser, Caldwell is asked about Tim Tebow. As we had all heard, it was reported that it was a “virtual certainty” that Tim Tebow would be in Jacksonville next year. Hard to say when a team doesn’t have a GM, but it was said. Well, Caldwell ended that quickly, when he said he couldn’t see a scenario with Tebow in Jacksonville, even if he is released. Now, it all becomes clear. Caldwell came back and learned how badly the Jets wanted to get rid of Tebow. He took that knowledge, went off to sign a contract with the Jags, and then announced that there was no way he was acquiring Tebow. So, he and the Jaguars play the Jets from both ends, and do it rather easily.

It’s brilliant from the Jags perspective. If the Jets are going to be that obvious about their intentions, why not use that knowledge to your advantage? It only makes sense. But if you are the Jets, why would you be so clear about what you want to do? Anybody could take that knowledge and screw you with it. “Oh, this guys is out of here.” If you hear that, you tell them you aren’t interested, use that knowledge against them. You have to keep some secrets, in order to have a chance to be successful.

But then you have our Jets. Do everything backwards, and wonder why it doesn’t work out. No wonder we are laughingstocks.