Sunday marks 660 days since the Jets hired Joe Douglas as general manager.
Since June 7, 2019, Douglas has made major changes to the roster, but it still looks like he hasn’t yet put his stamp on the Jets. Somehow, he still feels like he’s new to the job. His biggest move so far has been the rest, not a sum: Jamal Adams ’trade last summer.
Everything is about to change.
It’s becoming clear that Douglas is about to take away BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with this year’s No. 2 pick in the NFL general team and move on from Sam Darnold.
It’s a move that will firmly dictate how the next few years (and possibly longer) will go for the Jets. It is a movement that will define the mandate of Douglas. It is a play that carries a lot of risks and will have devastating effects on the Jets and Douglas if you make a mistake.
That six-year contract he received two years ago is not a lifelong quote. At some point, the Jets have to win with Douglas ’watch. They are 9-23 in their two years with the team. At the time, former GM GM Maccagnan and former coach Adam Gase received most of the blame for this record from fans and the media. These days, however, are over. Maccagnan’s influence on the list will be felt one more year. Gase was replaced by Robert Saleh, who was hand-picked by Douglas.
Now, it looks like he’s going to draft his quarterback. It is possible, of course, that the Jets will decide to move on with Darnold, but all indications are that they are ready to move on. That’s what people all over the league have been whispering for weeks. Douglas, Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur made the trip to Provo, Utah, Friday to see how Wilson pitched during BYU’s professional day, in a demonstration of the quarterback’s seriousness.
Then the 49ers and Eagles did business indicating they knew the Jets planned to bring Wilson to No. 2. San Francisco moved to No. 3 and apparently didn’t even make them an offer, perhaps because they knew the Jets. ‘the plans are already set. According to reports, the Eagles would have moved to No. 3, but only to incorporate Wilson. Philadelphia decided to return at twelve, probably knowing Wilson would not be there after the Jets selection.
The 49ers and Eagles are two teams closely related to Jets Brass. Saleh and LaFleur have just spent four years with the 49ers. Douglas was an executive of the Eagles before taking on the job of the Jets. These teams probably know what the Jets think better than most.
If the choice is Wilson, the play is more risky than any other Douglas has made here. He’s usually been happy with base hits and doubles, but that’s a swing for the fences. If it works, it will be Babe Ruth. If he fails, he will look smaller than Dr. Ruth.
Wilson, 21, is not up. A year ago, it would have been laughable to think of him as the No. 2 pick. Wilson had 11 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions in his 2019 season and competed last year in a competition for the starting job. But after throwing 33 touchdown passes and being intercepted three times in 2020, he fired the draft tips. There are questions about the level of competition he faced and he has already had a shoulder operation.
As the Jets saw when they scored Darnold in 2018, it’s a shame to pick the wrong quarterback. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have proven to be better players than Darnold in their first three seasons. The Jets, by choosing Wilson, would risk Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones to become a star.
Then there’s Darnold. If it goes to another team and the potential we’ve suddenly seen becomes full production, Douglas could have the red face.
The first two years of Douglas ‘tenure have had the feeling that he is building towards this point, in which he could make the Jets’ list his own. The next two years will be defined by the way this decision is resolved.