New York Jets: Offseason moves that should’ve been made for 2020
How New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas should’ve handled the offseason.
The New York Jets have enjoyed a productive 2020 NFL offseason. They fortified the offensive line, made some skill position additions and should be better than they were a season ago. Then again, the offseason could’ve gone better.
If I were Jets general manager Joe Douglas, who is in the midst of his first offseason with the organization, it would’ve been a quite different sequence of events. Put simply, New York missed some opportunities that would’ve helped them become legitimate contenders in the AFC East as Tom Brady joined the Buccaneers.
With that in mind, these personnel moves are ones that should’ve been made (or still should be made, in some cases) by the New York Jets in the 2020 offseason.
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The New York Jets should have: Re-signed WR Robby Anderson
The Jets have not truly had a good corps of wide receivers since the departures of Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall. Since then, the group has been underwhelming as a whole. Robby Anderson, however, was a decent player for Gang Green who Sam Darnold relied on quite often over the quarterback’s first two seasons.
Anderson was a tough player who deserved a long-term deal to remain in the Big Apple. Instead, the Jets chose not to retain him and, instead, signed veteran Breshad Perriman, who is a downgrade from Anderson. The Jets missed the mark on giving Darnold offensive weapons and losing the young wide receiver was a major part of that.
The New York Jets should have: Signed QB Cam Newton
Even before Cam Newton signed with the rival Patriots, he was a player that should’ve interested the Jets. Many fans may not like the idea but it’s the truth.
To this point, Darnold has been a mediocre quarterback for the Jets over his first two seasons. The 2020 campaign is a make-or-break year for Darnold to make big strides, as it is for supposed “quarterback guru” Adam Gase who was hired to improve the signal-caller’s play. That didn’t happen in 2019 and it’s hard to see for 2020 as well.
Paying Newton to come in and challenge Darnold for the starting job would’ve been a win-win. Competition could’ve helped give Darnold a boost and would’ve given the youngster someone to learn from. It would also have given the Jets two viable options at the position. Injury-prone Joe Flacco was not the answer for the Jets’ need on the quarterback depth chart.
The New York Jets should have: Made a coaching change
It can be frustrating for Jets fans when a head coach stays on longer than they should. The case can be made that’s happened with the last two guys at the position, Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles. Now, if the Jets finish below .500 again, Adam Gase needs to go.
Going back to the beginning, it’s still baffling that New York hired Gase to begin with. If the front office was adamant about hiring him, it should’ve been as an offensive coordinator. Mike McCarthy, who was available when the franchise eventually landed on Gase, would’ve been a better head coaching choice. He is now in Dallas.
Fast-forwarding to now, at the very least, current offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains should have been shown the door after 2019. The Jets should’ve then brought in Jay Gruden or Jason Garrett to replace him as they would’ve done a better job with play-calling and developing Darnold.
The Jets also should have brought in former quarterback Josh McCown, who helped mentor Darnold as a backup in his rookie season, to be the quarterbacks coach. He could’ve continued his development of the young man under center.
If the Jets were to have wisely made a change at head coach, the obvious candidate would’ve been Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. He comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree and helped coach Patrick Mahomes to the heights he’s reached. He would’ve brought mountains more enthusiasm and attitude than the team has under Gase. And even if they wanted an in-house candidate, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is a better option than Gase.
The New York Jets should: Hold Jamal Adams to his contract
This is an unresolved issue for the Jets but Jamal Adams is still under his rookie contract for two more years. It would be fantastic to see the All-Pro safety stay in New York on a long-term deal. However, his comments and trade requests should not dictate what Douglas does as the general manager.
Unless he can get a first-round pick or a franchise player in a trade for Adams, the best option may be to keep Adams bound to the terms of his contract, not just trade him because that’s what he wants. Adams has made his feelings clear in the media but, perhaps, all would be best served by letting his agent take care of things behind closed doors.
The New York Jets should have: Drafted a wide receiver in the first round
Drafting offensive tackle Mekhi Becton made sense for the Jets, addressing a need in the trenches. It would’ve also made sense to select a defensive player. But New York is long overdue to land a first-round talent at wide receiver in the draft. Darnold does not have a strong wide receiver corps and that’s necessary for the Jets to be more competitive on offense.
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But maybe this is for the outlook moving forward. Maybe this is what the Jets should be looking for in the 2021 NFL Draft. Regardless, the Jets are still a team in flux and rebuilding, still a few years away from being competitive.