The NY Jets have fired both Rex Ryan and John Idzik this offseason and now there will be major changes moving forward in New York, with draft prospects Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston potential targets over Geno Smith at quarterback, while trades could be options for players like Percy Harvin or Chris Johnson.
Woody Johnson brought in a consultant to help him find a new general manager and coach and now he has officially fired Idzik and Ryan. According to ESPN.com, Ryan and Idzik were let go early on Monday after the Jets finished 4-12 on the season. The move was expected and it was a fast fall for Idzik, who did not put enough talent on the field to give Ryan a chance to win over the past two seasons.
Ryan was expected to be let go and in recent weeks the same type of talk was coming out about Idzik, who quickly lost favor in New York. Johnson now has to find new leadership and the team also has to decide if Geno Smith is a long term solution. The Jets will have a top 10 draft pick and they could try and target either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. The team also could look at a trade with Jay Cutler, or free agent options like Brian Hoyer or even Mark Sanchez, but that is unlikely.
The Jets traded for Harvin this season and while he has been a solid player this year in limited time in New York, he is very expensive moving forward. The Jets have cap space, but Harvin is on a six year contract worth over $60 million and is getting paid $10.5 million in 2015 and $9.9 million in 2016. The New York Post reported that the Jets were likely to fire Rex Ryan after the season and now that has happened along with Idzik going as well. ESPN reported that Idzik "alienated" many in the organization and that that is one reason why Woody Johnson is starting from scratch in the front office.
The Jets offense was ranked last in the league in passing yards per game this season and while the team was third in rushing, the offense was very inconsistent. The defense played much better than the offense, but it wasn't enough and now the last place Jets will have to find a new head coach. Jim Harbaugh will be a target, but it looks like he is on his way to another job. The Jets have a number of issues to deal with on the roster after the way Idzik put things together and the biggest questions are at quarterback.
Smith had a great game to finish the season, but overall he has not shown that he can be a franchise quarterback. The Jets would likely have to trade to get Mariota or Winston and that may not be what the front office is looking to do. The team surely will bring in some competition if they keep Smith, but right now it looks like the Jets will have a new quarterback along with a head coach and general manager. The team went just 1-5 against the division this season and now they have to start from square one again.