CRASH THE PARTY
Gang Green won’t concede 2017, set goal for playoffs
Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan knows people think he has his eyes set on the 2018 NFL Draft already, but he insists that is not the case.
Maccagnan sat down with reporters Monday for his annual training camp address and said despite what you may think, the 2017 Jets are gunning for the playoffs.
“I don’t think we’re different than any team in the NFL,” Maccagnan said. “Every team goes into training camp trying to make the playoffs. We’re no different in that sense.”
He was asked if the playoffs are a realistic goal this season.
“I’m not going to put any limitations on what we can and can’t do,” he said.
Maccagnan oversaw the massive teardown the Jets underwent this offseason, getting rid of veterans such as Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, David Harris, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. That has left the Jets with a roster with more youth than your local elementary school. Many Jets fans are applauding the move, hoping the team loses enough games this year to land the No. 1 pick in 2018 and take one of the top college quarterbacks.
For Maccagnan, he said the plan has not changed since he took the job in 2015.
“From our standpoint, we’re still focused on building this team to the vision we have for it longterm,” he said. “We’ve always said from Day 1 that we acknowledge that the real core of this process was going to be done through the draft. That does take time. Our goal in the end is to have a core or good group of young players to be our foundation going forward and ideally, have a good group of veterans.”
Maccagnan said he pays no attention to those in the media say- ing the Jets are tanking. He is concerned with the feeling inside the Jets organization, not outside of it.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stopped by Jets training camp Monday to speak to a group of season-ticket holders. Afterward, he briefly met with reporters. He was asked about the idea of teams tanking in the NFL.
“I don’t think any team tanks,” Goodell said. “I really don’t. I think teams, depending on where you are, go through transitions. They look to sort of say, ‘ You know, we need to build more talent here. We do it through the draft. Let’s let some of our veteran players go, and develop some of our younger players.’ That’s always been a part of football. Always a part of sports. Always a part of getting the kind of system you want, the kind of players you want. Every team does it differently.”
For Maccagnan and the Jets, much of the 2017 season rests on the shoulders of quarterback Christian Hackenberg. The second-year player from Penn State may not open the season as the starter, but he is expected to take over at some point. Maccagnan was the one who took Hackenberg in the second round of the 2016 draft. Now, he has to hope Hackenberg pans out.
“Going back from a year ago, Christian, I think, has made good progress,’’ Maccagnan said. “Of course, it’s all in shorts and Tshirts this offseason. We’re kind of excited about him. Now this is the next step in the process, getting the pads on, so we’ll see how he does out there. But the initial impression is he’s made good progress. We’ll have a better feel for it as we get into the preseason with practices and the preseason games.’’