Do Not Blame New York Jets’ GM John Idzik for David Garrard or Mike Goodson

Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager John Idzik speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The mainstream media has made a big deal out of nothing again, folks.

Shocker! Hold back your surprise now. But yes, again, the mainstream Jets’ reporters are at it again, making a big deal out of something that it’s not.

I am sure others did this as well, but Rich Cimini’s article was the one I could find, so he will be our example.

In his “Sunday Notes” this past week, Rich took on the Garrard and Goodson situations.  You know them, we don’t have to re-hash.  Garrard retires, Goodson gets arrested.

My point is Rich partially blaming Idzik for bringing these two guys in to begin with.  Rich talked about the “calculated risk” due to Garrard’s injury, and Goodson’s “character concerns”.  He calls these moves his first two mistakes.

Well, that’s really easy to say when one guy retired, and the other guy has gotten himself into a compromising situation.  Wow Rich, call the signings a mistake.  That’s some insight right there.  That’s why he is at ESPN, and we get to talk here on a daily basis.

The trouble is that Rich isn’t being fair.  Shocker, I know, coming from a mainstream Jets’ reporter, but it’s true.

First on David Garrard. Yes, he was a calculated risk based on his knee. That’s anybody. It’s not like the Jets’ medical staff doesn’t check players out. They did end their interest in Josh Cribbs because of his knee. The Jets looked into Garrard and felt it was a safe bet. How was Idzik to know that Garrard’s knee wouldn’t even hold up through OTAs? He can only go by what his medical staff tells him. If they tell him he is OK to sign, that is what Idzik is going to do. Period.

Now on Mike Goodson. What is Idzik expected to do, babysit the guy? Send someone to follow him around? Character concerns are one thing, but having an attitude in the locker room doesn’t guarantee a translation into this. Just because he wasn’t everyone’s favorite player in the locker room, doesn’t mean this kind of stupidity is going to happen. As our writer Sean would say, “Child please!”. This is not Idzik’s fault. Stop.

Although this is far from surprising out of Rich or any of the major reporters, it doesn’t make it so. Come on now. These are not blemishes on the Idzik record.