Tru to word, Gang to host Mitchell
Continue to tweet questions about all things Jets to @ MMehtaNYDN.
Check out our expanded football coverage on Facebook with more analysis, opinions and fan engagement with chats this offseason. “Like” our page at nydn.us/ ManishMehta.
Will Bowles and Maccagnan get a lot of grief if they draft a QB at No. 6? - @ The_rock954
The question that Maccagnan and Bowles must ask themselves is this: Are we ready to hitch our wagon to (INSERT QUARTERBACK HERE)’s star?
There is no turning back for the GM and head coach if they draft a quarterback with the No. 6 pick, let alone the first round. Maccagnan and Bowles’ ultimate fates will be tied to that guy. If the player flops, they’re done in New York.
The Jets have carefully evaluated Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, Patrick Mahomes and others during their pre-draft preparation. If Maccagnan thinks that one of them is the answer, then go for it. Take the plunge.
If there are real concerns about whether any of these signal callers can be franchise guys, then stay away. Because the 2018 quarterback draft class is going to be LOADED.
Oh, sure, there are some Debbie Downers in the scouting world, who have cautioned me that none of the quarterbacks next year (Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen) is a slam dunk. Look, I’m no scout, but these quarterbacks expected to declare next year pass the eye test. I think all three have a real chance of being better pros than anyone in this year’s quarterback class. (Many scouts concur).
Maccagnan has already taken a stab at a quarterback in a premium round. Although Christian Hackenberg hasn’t exactly wowed folks on One Jets Drive, it’s silly to think that Maccagnan’s second-round investment in the former Penn State signal caller is a fireable offense. But it definitely narrows the margin for error. In other words, the next quarterback that Maccagnan drafts in the first or second round better be the right guy. Or the GM is toast.
Can you imagine if the Jets drafted a quarterback early this year only to miss out on one of these studs next year? Ugh. That would be cruel and unusual punishment for Jets fans.
This is all a roundabout way of saying that Maccagnan a n d Bowles won’t get grief for drafting a quarterback at No. 6 … unless that quarterback stinks. The smarter move is to take their lumps this year with McCown, Hackenberg and/or Bryce Petty and position themselves for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow next year. (Maccagnan and Bowles need to clearly explain all of this to the bespectacled man wearing a baseball cap who signs the checks, of course).
The Jets will wrap up their evaluation of North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky by hosting him for a pre-draft visit on Thursday, according to a source. The Jets have already attended Trubisky’s Pro Day in addition to privately working him out as they chart out their plan for the draft in two weeks.
The Jets have done their due diligence on other top
Why’d they cut Brandon Marshall instead of just trading him? We gave him away for nothing. - @tljets123n
The Jets would have dealt Marshall before the trade deadline, but they didn’t receive any offers that they believed made sense. By the end of the season, it was abundantly clear that no team was going to trade for him given that much of the free world knew that the Jets were going to cut the cord.
Know this: Nobody wanted to win more than Marshall in the Jets locker room the past two years. The man prepares like a pro. He’s disciplined. He cares. The biggest adjustment that Marshall must make this season with the Giants is conveying his frustration in a more constructive manner. Sometimes it makes sense to take 24 hours to cool off. Marshall admitted as much in the wake of flare-ups during the Jets’ miserable 2016 season.
For all the criticism Marshall received in his previous stops, the Jets quarterback prospects Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer and Patrick Mahomes, who visited the team facility on Wednesday.
Trubisky threw for 3,748 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions in 13 starts last season.
STRING HIM ALONG: Ole Miss wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow will also be visiting the Jets on Thursday. Penn State made the right move trading for him a couple years ago. But it was obvious that the time had come for the Jets to clear the path for their promising young receivers.
Even at 33, Marshall can still be an extremely productive piece for the Giants. It will be fun to see him play with Eli Manning.
What odds do you give Christian Hackenberg to win the starting job? - @ JetsMetsSouth
Josh McCown is the favorite to win the starting job. Depending on how the draft unfolds, Hackenberg will get a chance to play a fair amount this season. The Jets are cautiously optimistic that new quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates can bring out the good qualities that Maccagnan saw in Hackenberg. If the quarterback depth chart remains the same, expect to see Hackenberg in real games in 2017.
Of course, if McCown pulls a Ryan Fitzpatrick circa 2015, I wouldn’t anticipate that Todd Bowles would ruin a good thing. However, the smart money is that the Jets won’t catch lightning in a bottle with a second veteran quarterback in three years.
So, get ready for Hack. wideout Chris Godwin visited the Jets on Wednesday, a source told The News.
Godwin, who had 59 receptions for 982 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, opened eyes with a standout performance at the combine with a 4.42 40-yard dash. He flew under the radar last year, but is now expected to be a Day 2 pick in the upcoming draft.
— Mehta