3 potential candidates for Jets GM job

Mike Maccagnan’s career as GM of the Jets is over. The Jets are moving on and looking for a new man to run the team in the future.

If you thought the New York Jets’ employee search was over when they hired Adam Gase back in January, you thought wrong. They’re now back in search mode, but this time around, the search is for a general manager.

Mike Maccagnan is gone, and Christopher Johnson is hunting for a new GM for the first time in his career as the Jets’ owner. Several names have evolved as favorites so far. Who are the Jets looking at to team up with Adam Gase for the future?

Joe Douglas

Joe Douglas has been declared by most as the front-runner to be the next general manager of the Jets. He’s currently the Vice President of Player Personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles, and is reportedly the favorite to be the team’s new GM.

Douglas’ connection to the Jets? Adam Gase. Gase and Douglas worked together with the Chicago Bears. Douglas was the director of college scouting, and Gase was the offensive coordinator. Many reporters believe that Douglas is Gase’s pick to be the new GM.

Douglas teamed with Howie Roseman to build the Eagles’ roster that won a Super Bowl just two years ago. He’s well thought of around the league, and appears to be a very good candidate for the GM position. He’s likely the best option available, and is the favorite to be the new GM for the Jets.

Champ Kelly

Champ Kelly is another name in the mix of Jets GM candidates. Kelly is currently the Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the Bears. He was previously the Director of Pro Scouting with the team before being promoted. He now is essential in directing the Bears’ collegiate scouting and pro personnel departments.

Like Douglas, Kelly has a connection to Gase. Gase and Kelly worked together in Denver for several seasons, and with the Bears in 2015. Kelly is very highly thought of around the league, and is definitely on the Jets’ list for possible GM’s.

Kelly seems to be behind Douglas in the race to become the Jets’ GM, but he’s definitely up there on the Jets’ list. If Douglas wants to remain in Philadelphia and wait until the end of next season and see if other jobs become available, Kelly along with other candidates will be a top option for the Jets.

Lance Newmark

Lance Newmark, the veteran among the top candidates for the job, has been with the Lions for 23 years. He’s spent 21 of those years with the Detroit Lions. He worked his way up the Lions’ front office all the way to Director of Player Personnel, which he’s been doing since 2017.

Gase worked with Newman in Detroit, where he started his NFL career as a scouting assistant back in 2003. He worked with Newman for four years before leaving to become an offensive assistant for the 49ers in 2008.

Obviously, a pattern is forming. All of the Jets’ top candidates all have some sort of connection to Adam Gase, who seems to have a bigger impact on the GM decision than we thought. Douglas is reportedly Gase’s pick, but if they can’t reel in Douglas, Gase wants to be assured he knows who he’s working with.