General managers in the NFL, all 32 of them, have an incredibly difficult responsibility; assembling the rosters of their franchises to put them in the best position possible to win games while staying within their financial means.
Here are three NFL GMs of 2022 that are performing at an elite level.
3 NFL general managers excelling in the 2022 season
3. Joe Douglas, New York Jets
The New York Jets currently stand at 6-4 which amazingly still places them at the bottom of the AFC East. The Jets won four total games in 2021 also finishing last in the AFC East. The Jets still have more time to improve and despite recent inter-team issues with quarterback Zach Wilson the team looks rejuvenated.
A lot of that rejuvenation has to do with their general manager, Joe Douglas, who is in his fourth season with the Jets. Douglas has not always necessarily struck gold in the draft and free agency but in 2022 he made splash upon splash that definitely contributed to the Jets’ success thus far.
Douglas selected cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson in the first round and was able to trade back up into the first round to take defensive end Jermaine Johnson. All three players have been impactful in their rookie seasons, most notably Gardner who is not only playing like the best rookie cornerback in the league but possibly THE best corner in the league. Douglas was not done in the first round but also grabbed running back Breece Hall in the second round. Hall proved to be a star at the position but was injured in Week 7 and will not return in 2022.
Douglas hit on several of his free agent acquisitions, specifically cornerback DJ Reed, safety Jordan Whitehead, and 37-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco who led the team to a surprising win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.
Joe Douglas selected a haul of playmakers in 2022 to join the Jets and to assist his defensive-minded coach, Robert Saleh, in transforming Saleh’s favorite unit into the 9th-ranked defense in the league. The offense still has much to be desired checking at 28th in the league but Douglas may have to make that number rise with a new quarterback in 2023. Douglas will still have a plethora of picks to work with in 2023, just not as many as the 2022 draft. If the Zach Wilson pick ends up not working out it will certainly be a knock against Douglas but if he continues to work at his current pace Douglas will likely strike gold again.
Don’t forget, Douglas orchestrated the trade of Jamal Adams to the Seahawks which provided the Jets with two first-round picks and a third-rounder, not to mention the freed up cap space without having to pay Adams the contract he wanted. Douglas is hitting his stride as the general manager of the Jets and expect him to continue to make waves in 2023.