Jets Rumors: Idzik will be fired, Rex Ryan may not be

If the rumors are true, then Woody Johnson could be in the process of making the same mistake he made two years ago.

ESPN is reporting that embattled General Manager John Idzik will be fired on Monday, but Head Coach Rex Ryan might survive Black Monday, with his fate TBA until the next general manager is appointed.

Chris Mortensen who reported the news said that Johnson "remains fond of Ryan and would prefer that Idzik's replacement make the call on the coach."

If this is true it's a hideous error of judgment on Johnson's part. Here is an owner who has enlisted the help of quality football people like Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf as consultants on the subject of the Jets GM and HC situations, and if the best advice that Johnson can garner from it all is to keep Rex until the next GM arrives is a joke.

The last time the Jets made this decision, Johnson decided to fire Mike Tannenbaum and keep Ryan after the Sanchez-Tebow fiasco. Johnson said at the time that he wanted Ryan's fate determined by the next GM and proceeded to tell candidates that Rex was staying. Result, more qualified candidates ran for the hills wanting no part of a bad head coach. The only guy who accepted the job: John Idzik. Why? Because he was a salary cap guru who was willing to let Johnson and Ryan dictate the terms in the early going.

There had been a belief over the last two seasons that Idzik had been trying to sabotage Ryan so he could eventually bring in his own guy, but both find themselves on the hot seat now. While Idzik should be blamed for horrible personnel decisions, Ryan echoed that this was his "most talented team" and kept trotting Geno Smith out there under center. He deserves blame too.

No matter how one slices it, Ryan has got to go, he has earned the right to be fired. The team has failed to make the playoffs in each of the last four years. Ryan has failed to develop a competent quarterback, failing twice with Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith. While he was an astute defensive coordinator, he separated himself the offense totally, as the Jets had one of the worst units in the league during his tenure. Not to mention the Rex Ryan era was stained by one embarrassing PR moment after another.

No competent general manager wants to enter into a situation where the head coach is still in place. Most GMs want to hire their own guy. But with the Jets conventional wisdom does not exist -- it's just the opposite.

Fire Idzik? Good. Keep Rex? Ridiculous. Fire Rex Ryan, fire John Idzik, fire personnel director Terry Bradway and clean house. That should be the focus of owner Woody Johnson. If it isn't Johnson is asking to lose more of his ever shrinking fan base.