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New York Jets: Why Mike Maccagnan, Todd Bowles were given extensions?

By Michael Pallas

FLORHAM PARK, NJ - JANUARY 21: New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson (C) poses with new General Manager Mike Maccagnan (L) and new Head Coach Todd Bowles after they were introduced to the media during a press conference on January 21, 2015 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images)
FLORHAM PARK, NJ - JANUARY 21: New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson (C) poses with new General Manager Mike Maccagnan (L) and new Head Coach Todd Bowles after they were introduced to the media during a press conference on January 21, 2015 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images) /
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The New York Jets handed out contract extensions to Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles, which could indicate the franchise is in no rush to find a franchise quarterback.

Eli Manning was 1-6 as a starter as a rookie. Aaron Rodgers didn’t start until his fourth NFL season. Both Carson Wentz and Jared Goff were bad in their rookie seasons, and had a big rebound in 2017. Finally, Tom Brady only became a starter and won the Super Bowl in his second year because an untimely hit by Mo Lewis on Drew Bledsoe.

Given the recent history of the NFL, New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles don’t need to find “their guy” this year, but they do by next year (if it’s through the draft).

Back in December, the Jets gave both of them two-year contract extensions, which have them signed through the 2020 season. Fans and media seem to be impatient with this team expecting them to cave in and go after the quarterback now, but they don’t have to. They do have to have their franchise quarterback in place by 2020, or they won’t have jobs.

They did show some improvement in 2017. There’s no doubt they will have to add pieces to show even more improvement in 2018. They will likely have to be in the hunt for a playoff spot in 2018, but not necessarily make the playoffs. The owners realize that their approach of building for sudden bursts didn’t work. They need time and patience to build a winner.

In the realm of New York sports, patience isn’t something that is in the norm, but it’s now a requirement. We’ve seen 21 percent (4-of-19) of the Super Bowls won played in this century by backup quarterbacks. Kurt Warner (Super Bowl XXXV), Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXVI), Tom Brady (Super Bowl XXXVII), and Nick Foles (Super Bowl LII) all began the season as a backup.

With the exception of Foles, all of them made their first start early in the season, and then led runs to Super Bowl titles. It’s not that a franchise quarterback isn’t important, but this underscores how important the rest of the team is. It also underscores how important the team building process is, and how not to rush to find your franchise quarterback.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Full two-round projection

The draft may be giving four quarterbacks that could be “franchise guys.” Going for the franchise quarterback now signals a win-now mentality, and the Jets are not in position for that. Rushing things gets people fired, and patience doesn’t. The Jets need to be patient, and let the team grow organically, and not force-feed things just because the opportunity if there.

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