John Idzik's stint as the general manager of the New York Jets is done after only two seasons, 12 wins and 20 losses. Jets owner Woody Johnson informed both Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan that they will not be back next season, the team announced.
This morning Woody Johnson informed John Idzik and Rex Ryan that they will not be returning to the team in 2015.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 29, 2014
Idzik took the job two years ago with the condition that he keep Ryan on as the head coach at least through the end of the 2013 season, and after the Jets went 8-8, Idzik decided to keep Ryan in place again despite speculation that Ryan would be fired. The Jets' seventh-worst point differential in the league signaled that their record was headed for a downturn, though, and that's exactly what happened in 2014, when their 4-12 record more closely aligned with what was again the NFL's seventh-worst point differential.
1. Poor drafting: Idzik made 19 draft picks in two years, dedicating 11 to the offense and eight to the defense. Of that group of 19, it's likely that only one -- defensive end Sheldon Richardson -- is a surefire future starter in the next Jets era. Safety Calvin Pryor and tight end Jace Amaro look like contributors as well (Pryor showed promise as an in-the-box safety and Amaro flashed some of the catch radius that made him an intriguing prospect out of Texas Tech), but they're not nearly the guarantee that Richardson is.
Idzik's first draft pick was cornerback Dee Milliner, who struggled through his rookie season and then played only three games before his season ended due to injury in 2014. He then took Richardson with the pick acquired from Tampa Bay in the Darrell Revis trade before selecting quarterback Geno Smith in the second round. It's the Smith pick as much as anything else that marks Idzik's tenure as a failure.
Smith compiled an 11-18 record as the starter, completing 57.5 percent of his passes and throwing only 25 touchdowns against 34 interceptions. He was benched in favor of Michael Vick at one point this season, after starting a game against the Buffalo Bills 2-of-8 with three interceptions. Smith returned to the starting lineup a few weeks later and was wholly ineffective until the regular season finale against the Dolphins.
Idzik also somehow managed to select three receivers in what has been widely hailed as the best receiver class in recent memory and come away with a total of zero contributors. Jalen Saunders, Shaquelle Evans and Quincy Enunwa combined to make one catch for seven yards this season.
2. Conservative spending: Idzik was also criticized for not pursuing high-level free agents. Despite coming into the 2014 offseason with a ton of available cap space, the Jets' only notable signings were wide receiver Eric Decker, 29-year old running back Chris Johnson and tackle Breno Giacomini.
Idzik relied on fringe signings like Darrin Walls and Dimitri Patterson to supplement a cornerback group that had lost Revis and Antonio Cromartie over the previous two years, and that turned out to be a disaster. The Jets had one of the league's worst pass defenses as Walls led all cornerbacks in snaps, while Patterson went AWOL during training camp.
3. But he did do some things well: It's inarguably that Idzik leaves the Jets with more offensive talent than when he got there. The 2012 Jets ended the season with Shonn Greene as their leading rusher, and a pass-catching group of Jeremy Kerley, Jeff Cumberland, Stephen Hill, Chaz Schilens, Dustin Keller and the ghosts of Santonio Holmes of Braylon Edwards.
One of Idzik's under-the-rader signings before the 2013 season was running back Chris Ivory, who carried the ball 380 times for 1,654 yards (4.35 per carry) and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons. At 26 years old, he looks to be a cheap, talented running back with a few more years before he hits his decline.
The Jets' next quarterback will have Kerley, Decker, Amaro and Percy Harvin to throw to, unquestionably a more talented bunch than what Idzik inherited. Kerley was signed to a four-year, $14 million contract extension before the 2014 season, making him a fairly cheap slot receiver. Harvin was acquired for a conditional 2015 draft pick, and his salary for the remainder of his tenure is all base, which means the Jets can cut him without additional cost if the gamble doesn't work out. But he's a 26-year old receiver/returner with a track record as one of the most explosive players in the league.
4. What comes next? The Jets have hired former Redskins and Texans general manager Charlie Casserly and former Packers general manager Ron Wolf as consultants to help identify new candidates. Our Jason LaConfora reported that possible candidates include Texans scouting director Mike Maccagnan, Texans director of pro personnel Brian Gaine, Vikings assistant general manager George Paton and Browns assistant general manager Morocco Brown.
Newsday's Bob Glauber floated some additional candidates: Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, Titans vice president of player personnel Lake Dawson, Ravens director of player personnel Eric DeCosta, Eagles vice president of player personnel Tom Gamble, Giants director of scouting Marc Ross, Falcons director of player personnel Lionel Vital and Packers director of player personnel Eliot Wolf.
