A little Mac talk
Some advice for Gang’s next GM
When the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed, and Mike Maccagnan is hired as the new Jets GM, he will be entering a brave new world the likes of which he has never experienced. And my welcome message to him: Good luck, buddy. You’ll need it. Allow me to welcome you to my town.
It’s the best place to win and the worst place to lose, in case you hadn’t heard. So it’s better for you to win. You will be inheriting a fan base that last got to celebrate a Super Bowl championship 46 years ago Monday. Nah, no pressure. The good news — if there is any good news aside from your promotion and pay raise — is you aren’t exactly following in Bill Parcells’ shoes. Or even Rex Ryan’s shoes. You’re following in John Idzik’s shoes.
Which means you’ll get a brief honeymoon period. But a word to the wise — if you draft a Vernon Gholston, or a Stephen Hill, or a Dee Milliner, or a Geno Smith, you might not want to look up at the sky at practice or in your new office. Because a Fire Mike Maccagnan banner will be flying overhead.
But you’ve been a scout, you know personnel, so no worries there, right? You’ll be able to tell a Chris Ivory from a Chris Christie, right? Now who’s your coach? It is only the most critical decision you will make. Because if you get it wrong, you may not get a second chance to hire a coach.
Your owner, Woody Johnson, isn’t 80 years old the way previous owner Leon Hess was when he summoned Parcells, but he wants results now. The poor guy has missed the playoffs four years in a row.
Between us, I’m going through a syndrome known around here as Rex withdrawal. Dan Quinn is in high demand, but you can’t talk to him until next week at the earliest. I like Todd Bowles, I like Doug Marrone, but I haven’t interviewed them yet.
Whomever you pick, make sure he has armadillo skin. As I mentioned earlier, this can be a town without pity. If he is insecure and paranoid, he will have no chance here.
You inherit a team in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, and given the uninspiring free-agent crop, someone to effectively teach and nurture Smith will be imperative. If the best man for the head coaching job comes from the defensive side of the ball, you better make sure his offensive coordinator is an innovative teacher and a nurturer.
And please, don’t be afraid to be bold on draft day. The previous GM twiddled his thumbs, kept all 12 of his draft picks last spring, and blew it.
You have the sixth pick. No way Marcus Mariota drops in your lap, because good fortune like that hardly ever happens to the Jets.
So trade up for Mariota and get your franchise quarterback!
It will be refreshing to know you and your head coach will have a shared vision. Not a short-term vision from him and a longer-term vision from you, thank you very much. That’s the true definition of “joined at the hip.”
The salary cap will be going up, so you’ll have more than $40 million in room. Now, no GM in his right mind would sit on $20 million, much less $40 million, so for starters, go get a Randall Cobb in the likely event you’ll be releasing Percy Harvin. And since you’re the Jets’ long-awaited personnel guy, it would be a good idea to find a trusted cap guy to assist you.
The scouting report on you indicates you’re not a spotlight guy. That’s OK. Talk is cheap, GM the game. Or something like that. Just know the previous GM didn’t do himself any favors by being a virtual recluse.
So there you go, a little primer for you as you embark on this new journey.
Just don’t go planning any itinerary for the Canyon of Heroes just yet. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady still rule the AFC East. Ryan up in Buffalo will be motivated to stick it to the Jets. Ryan Tannehill is on the rise in Miami, where Mike Tannenbaum, also motivated to stick it to the Jets, is the new major domo. Good luck, buddy. You’ll need it.
steve.serby@nypost.com