New York Jets Taking the Correct Approach

Mike Maccagnan has brought with him a new era to the New York Jets. It’s a mindset that we haven’t seen around the Jets in a long time, and it is music to Jets fans ears. It’s going to sound simple, but it is the honest truth. Mike Maccagnan and the New York Jets want to win, and they want to do it now.

My buddy Rich Cimini talked about this on the ESPN website yesterday morning, take a look at it by clicking here.

He makes great points here. First of all, the Jets have to pay up to that 89% of the salary floor. The Jets need to comply with the rules, and with all of the cost-cutting they have done over the last couple of seasons, they needed to raise the payroll. The Jets have obviously done that.

Secondly, nobody in the NFL is going to wait around for the New York Jets to improve. Life goes on, whether the Jets have their franchise quarterback in place, or they are still searching for him. With that, as Rich pointed out, the Jets cannot sit and wait around until they have the franchise quarterback in place. You have to build around the quarterback, and give that player the best chance to succeed.

Whether the quarterback in 2015 is Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith, they have to give them a chance to succeed. If you aren’t convinced that your quarterback is the guy to make others better, you bring in players to bring out the best in your quarterback. A player like Brandon Marshall may be on the wrong side of 30, but he is still a great player, and can make his quarterback better.

Yes, the Jets put millions of dollars into the cornerback position. But, what was the worst position on the field last year? That’s right, the cornerback position! Isn’t the general manager’s job to fix the problems with the roster? The Jets are absolutely right to pour a lot of money into the cornerback position. They have completely revamped the position, and it will be miles better than it was in 2014.

There is one more point, a little bit more basic, and one Rich didn’t mention that I wanted to add. Winning now is the way of the NFL. There simply isn’t the time to take a four-year plan to become a winner. It’s not the way the NFL works.

Take a look at our friends from New England. Like it or not, the “Patriot Way” has worked for a long time. Bill Belichick took over the Patriots in the year 2000. They went from not making the playoffs the year before, to winning their first of several Super Bowls one year later. When Bill Parcells took over the Jets, they went from one win to 12 wins in two years.

Don’t forget the up and coming model out in Seattle. John Schneider took over the General Manager position with the Seahawks in 2010. They became steadily better until they reached an 11-5 record in 2012, and back to back trips to the Super Bowl in the next two years.

When you look at both the Patriots and Seahawks, you see a model that has worked. They won right away, and created a program that sustained success.

There is no reason why the Jets can’t do the same thing. They are trying to win now, but that doesn’t preclude them from winning later as well. The Jets want to win, and they are doing it right.

Next: Brandon Marshall: A Man to Admire

New York Jets Taking the Correct Approach

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