After more than three weeks of failing to sell the Jets General Manager position to any potential candidates, Woody Johnson and company may have settled on a individual to take up the job. And it isn't who you think.
No the next GM of the New York Jets will not be in-house candidate Scott Cohen. (Take a sigh of relief Gang Green Nation).
No, the new GM will be Seattle Seahawks Vice President of Football Administration John Idzik. Like former GM Mike Tannenbuam, however, Idzik is a salary cap guru. While that may make Jets' fans stomachs ache, Idzik has had far more success in the NFL.
According to his bio on Seahawks.com, Idzik had a hand in some of Seattle's day-to-day football operations, and before joining the Seahawks in 2007, was the Senior Director of Football Operations for the Arizona Cardinals. Idzik entered the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent 11 years with the Buccaneers, first as a Pro Personnel Assistant and then was elevated to Director of Football Administration in 1996 and Assistant General Manager in 2001. He had the opportunity to work with such coaches as Pete Carroll and Tony Dungy during his career.
Idzik will take on the task of having to clean up the mess left over by Tannenbaum. The Jets are $19.4 million over the salary cap for 2013. With several players set to come off that cap this spring, i.e. Bart Scott, Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace, Idzik is still stuck with the biggest salary cap headache of all time in quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez is a total bust at the quarterback position. A failure that both coach Rex Ryan and Tannenbaum refused to realize over the past four seasons. If Idzik cuts Sanchez in March, his contract will count $17 million against the Jets cap. Sanchez is guaranteed $8.25 million.
In addition to dealing with Sanchez, Idzik will have to learn to live with Rex Ryan.
Ryan and Idzik have never worked together, and owner Woody Johnson has been steadfast in telling GM candidates that they have to keep Ryan for at least one more year. That is why the GM job has been a tough sell for a lot of people.
The relationship between Idzik and Ryan will be a high stakes poker game for the rest of the year. Idzik is a guy with little personnel experience, a boon to Ryan, who, along with Woody Johnson, said Ryan would be involved in the process. That being said, eventually Idizk will want to put his stamp on this team and prove himself; Ryan is not one of his guys, and if New York should slip up again in 2013, don't be shocked if Idzik taps one of his buddies to be the next head coach.
While everyone will say the right things right now -- the drama is only beginning.
No the next GM of the New York Jets will not be in-house candidate Scott Cohen. (Take a sigh of relief Gang Green Nation).
No, the new GM will be Seattle Seahawks Vice President of Football Administration John Idzik. Like former GM Mike Tannenbuam, however, Idzik is a salary cap guru. While that may make Jets' fans stomachs ache, Idzik has had far more success in the NFL.According to his bio on Seahawks.com, Idzik had a hand in some of Seattle's day-to-day football operations, and before joining the Seahawks in 2007, was the Senior Director of Football Operations for the Arizona Cardinals. Idzik entered the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent 11 years with the Buccaneers, first as a Pro Personnel Assistant and then was elevated to Director of Football Administration in 1996 and Assistant General Manager in 2001. He had the opportunity to work with such coaches as Pete Carroll and Tony Dungy during his career.
Idzik will take on the task of having to clean up the mess left over by Tannenbaum. The Jets are $19.4 million over the salary cap for 2013. With several players set to come off that cap this spring, i.e. Bart Scott, Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace, Idzik is still stuck with the biggest salary cap headache of all time in quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez is a total bust at the quarterback position. A failure that both coach Rex Ryan and Tannenbaum refused to realize over the past four seasons. If Idzik cuts Sanchez in March, his contract will count $17 million against the Jets cap. Sanchez is guaranteed $8.25 million.
In addition to dealing with Sanchez, Idzik will have to learn to live with Rex Ryan.
Ryan and Idzik have never worked together, and owner Woody Johnson has been steadfast in telling GM candidates that they have to keep Ryan for at least one more year. That is why the GM job has been a tough sell for a lot of people.
The relationship between Idzik and Ryan will be a high stakes poker game for the rest of the year. Idzik is a guy with little personnel experience, a boon to Ryan, who, along with Woody Johnson, said Ryan would be involved in the process. That being said, eventually Idizk will want to put his stamp on this team and prove himself; Ryan is not one of his guys, and if New York should slip up again in 2013, don't be shocked if Idzik taps one of his buddies to be the next head coach.
While everyone will say the right things right now -- the drama is only beginning.
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