EA Podcast Episode 18: General Manager Mike Maccagnan

thousand sixteen schedule. We covered a lot of topics. You can watch the interview on Jets Flight Plan, which airs eleven thirty CBS New York or New York Jets dot Com as well. But I gotta treat for you here on the e A Podcast because we're gonna give you our conversation and full right now. Well, your team has entered the bye week. Can we get your general overall

thoughts where the squad is at this point in the season. Well, I think first and foremost, Um, you know, we're obviously just go with a record three and you know three and seven. Um, there are some things that we feel good about, you know, some of a lot of younger, a lot of our younger players are getting a opportunity play and contribute. Um, you know, we do feel good about that going forward. We obviously are disappointed in the record as I mentioned, Um, and I think you know

when you when you look at it. Overall, Um, we feel we are making progress, you know, towards where we eventually want to be. But of course the wins and losses at this point time are very disappointed to us. Speaking about making progress, you've mentioned what you've done from a youth standpoint, and the roster you constantly obviously evaluate that you have a lot of young players on this team.

Let's talk about the wide receiver position. You're getting contributions from Robby Anderson, an undrafted free agent from Temple, jay Len Marshall, an undrafted free agent from Ohio State, and then a seventh round pick in toront Peak from Clemson. Yeah, but all three of those guys have done a very good job for us. And I think you know, going in going into the draft process, um, you know, it's very nice when you can actually hit on a late around draft pick that actually has a potentially be a

good player for you. But then in addition to that, find the two college free agents. We have both done a very good job and we think all three of them have a lot of upside and potential. And and then obviously Robby in particular has some real big playability and potential. And then the other part of it is people does get lost a little bit. Is is you know Devin Smith from a year ago was injured but again, you know, we got a chance to seem a little

bit last year before he got hurt. But of course he's back now healthy, so that it's another young player to kind of throw in the mix too. He's almost because of injury last year's almost sort of red shirt

that first year. But it's a we feel good about our receiver crew over all, and that doesn't take anything away from you know, Brandon Marshall and obviously Quincy and Quincy is another player has done very well for US year this year, This year too, you mentioned Quincy an emerging receiver in his second year as far as a crude seasons in the National Football League, Did you think he was ready for that next step? Have you been

pleasantly surprised by his development? Yeah, I think the one thing you find and in last year we felt good about him and we thought he is a good young player, but this year is again he sort of elevated his game. And that's the and I think long term that's kind of where you know, our focus really is, is like to build through the draft and built through the younger players, and of course when those players do make sometimes dramatic you know, improvement from year one to two, but year

two to three and then three to four. But Quincy's done a very nice job for us. And again he's a player we saw the potential on him, uh and then this year in particular, he's really sort of blossom and taking it to another level. I think offensive line coach Steve Marshall has done an amazing job here. In two thousand and sixteen, reshuffled that line up numerous times because of injury. Wesley Johnson started the last three games

for you guys at center at right tackle. Brendo Jackomani started the year on the pup list, so Bena Jelana and Brent Quality alternated a right tackle. After Ryan Claytey went down, I Jelanna really became a swing tackle because he went back to the left side. And now you got Bruno back and your young guards. I think when you look at this Jets team and a and a foundation, how about those guys like Winners and of course James

Carpenter and do you like what you've seen up front? Yeah, you know, it's it's interesting I think going into the season, and we liked a lot of those guys beforehand, um, but we really didn't. They were sort of unproven. I mean, they performed in preseason. A lot of those guys been on the regular season, some of the younger guys you mentioned, Um,

But that's some one of the things too. When when the season unfolded and um, you know, and again Ryan did a nice job for us early before he got hurt, but um, and then Brenda being out for the start of the season, it was a bit of an unknown

how we were going to perform in that area. But the one nice thing that came out of it was all those young guys you've mentioned, you know, a particular quality and Ben Um, both those guys have done a nice job for us and and again now they're you know, performing at a level we feel good about going forward. So whereas at one point I was a bit of a concern for us, now it's actually turned into sort of you know, an area where we actually feel pretty

good about. How about winners specifically, he seems like he's taking his game to the next level. Became a full time start or last year after Willie Cologne went out. I remember his first start in London, matching up matching up with the donmid Consue of course did a fine job there. But he seems to be really in a comfort zone right now. Yeah, And I think with Brian in particularly, like he's he's you know, you look at

his career and he's missed a little time with injuries early. Um, but he's blossom very nicely in the fact that it's a testament knowlity to Brian. But again the coaching from both Steven actually David Diez and Fonte. Both those guys do a very good job with the offensive line. But Brian's one of those guys we were excited about going forward. Um. Again, he's in that certain point of his career where he's starting to you know, sort of starting to reach his

potential and fulfill some of his potential. So we're excited about him going forward and um, obviously gonna be a free agent at the end of the season, but we try hopefully try to keep him and get him back and keep him the mix. How about the production of Matt Forte. A lot of people said a thirty year old running back, and you and Todd Bull said, we don't see a thirty year old running back. We see a good running back. And he's a guy who's getting better by the game and run game has really come

on the last four games. I think your averaging are more than a hundred fifty yards on the ground over that time span. And four is a big reason why. Yes, and and Matt was a player. I mean we obviously, um, when Chris was cass Ivy was a free agent, we you know, we wanted to resign Chris, but of course that we knew that market was going to be you know, was gonna obviously price him out at a certain level. Um, So when we lost out on Chris, obviously Matt was

kind of our next target. Now that doesn't take away anything from belal Pal who has actually done a very good job for us. Also and then I guess and then early late in training camp we had actually Kyrie Robinson also but he injured he got injured in training camp. Um, but both but Matt's done a great job. And I think Matt's you know, proven that, you know, and it's really more of a testament not just his ability, but how he approaches the game as work ethic. Um. But

he's done a very nice job for us. And then really with him and Bilal and Blow again when we utilized him, is a very good running back in his own right. So it's a nice one to punch to have with both of those guys, and um, you know, kind of excited about both those guys going forward. How about your first to overall pick as GM and the New York Jets. Leonard Williams. He had a good rookie campaign and now he's made that sophomore leap if you

look at the team stats. And I know football is more than just stats, but one thing he talked about all off season was I got to get to the quarterback more. And he certainly has despite playing in the interior where you see a lot of traffic, as you know, and he's up there and tackles, tackles for loss and quarterback hits as well. You know, it's interesting with Leonard and Leonard was a very young player. I don't think

he actually turned twenty one until like June of last year. UM, so we knew he had he had obviously been very young. He still has a lot of you know, potential and ability to develop. Um, but he's really blossomed into a very good young player. UM. I think last year we always felt very good about Leonard and we thought, you know, he was a very active player, very you know, a

very dominant player at times. Um, he was close. I think he actually was one of the higher rated guys in terms of number hits on the quarterback a year ago. Now this year, obviously he sort of converted those into sacks. Um. And I think that this year, at this point in time last year may have only had about a half sack on the season after nine or ten games. This year's at six and and and really developed into a very good, dominant, complete player. How about your first round

pick there? And Lee made a lot of contributions early, he got a little bit banged up, but now I was returned to the lineup. What have you seen from him so far so early in his career. Well, Darren's another again, another young player. When we drafted him, I think he just literally was just turned twenty one or just a little over that um, but again, he's a very athletic linebacker. UM. I think at one point time before he was injured, he was actually leading our team

in tackles. So he's done a very good job for us and and we're excited about him going forward. But he brings definitely an athletic speed element to the game. And it was kind of when we lost him to the the ankle injury. That was obviously unfortunate, but he should be ready to going back and playing a full

time basis now going forward. But again, another young player who you know, we like a lot as a player in terms of a billion potential and the player can potentially e helop into but also from a character and intangible standpoint, a very good kind of kid to go build around. Going forward. When you resume action, you'll be hosting the New England Patriots. You had a waiver claim

from the Patriots and Darryl Roberts. Now here's a guy who impressed the coaching staff at practice and now is playing a critical role, especially over these last six games. Marcus Williams out with the ankle sprain, and when you

guys go to sub, Darryl Roberts is playing outside for it. Yeah, Daryl actually has done a very good job, and I think people tend to forget, like you focus so much on pro free agency in the offseason, you focus on the draft, But there's two other avenues of acquiring players that are are critical or you know to us. Um one is, you know the college free agents, which we've had some success with with you know, the two receivers and actually, um, you know, there's a defensive linement named

Thomas also that did a nice job for us. But the other part of it is when you get into the season, you have the waiver wire or practice rosters from other teams that you can go sign players from. But you know, Roberts is a player that we liked in the preseason, um, you know, and he was a little injury to thinking one of the games at the end of it, but we liked him enough that we claimed him, and um, he's coming into a very good

job for us. Not unlike uh to a degree, almost when Marcus Williams was brought into this organization a few years ago, he was a player that you know, we actually had in Houston that was you know, waved off our practice roster. The Jets sign him. He turned into a good player for the Jets here, But Roberts is of the same type of you know, those are where you start moving ahead the you know, you're trying to

build your talent base. When you when you can add talent through those avenues, that actually gives you a chance to be successful down the road. At the quarterback position, you've got a chance to see Bryce Petty, a fourth round pick in your first draft, make us first start against Dale Rams and then obviously Christian Hackenburg continues to develop since we're not out of practice when these guys are taken rops, can you talk about Hackenburgh and how

he's coming along? And also, was it fun for you just to take a step back and and see Bryce in action? Yeah, you know it's and and it's funny when you watch when I watched Bryce the other day and he and he did a pretty good job. And that's for his first start ever, And that's a pretty pretty aggressive front seven or defense. Those guys get after the quarterback pretty cularly. Steve been doing that this season and I think our offensive lined a nice job and

Bryce did a nice job in that kind of environment. Um, but it's nice when you see when you think back to when you know, as a GM, you probably think back to the first few mini camps for the first preseason games from a year ago, and Bryce was a true rookie and then it's nice to see how much he's progressed from there and now he still has a lot more you know, he still has a lot more potential to develop. Um, But it was a it was

a nice first start format. I think it's you know, again, when we break down the tape, there's always nuances and things from a coaching standpoint which he needs to do better on and can do better on. But he he did get off to a good start, which was nice.

And then with Christian, um, you know, he's a player that we like quite a bit in terms of his A billion potential, but of course, um, you know, there's aspects of his playing needs improve upon, and we've been happy with the progress he's made and at some point in time we'll see if um, you know, how he does on the field. But but he's done some good things for us, you know, in the practice environment. I think you know, unfortunately because of injuries, um, you know,

usually we had four quarterbacks. Then we you know, lost Price for a period of time and then obviously Gino unfortunately, but Christians getting more reps in practice, which is only good for his potential in his development. Six games left you as the GM, the football architect of the New York Jets, are you excited to continue to watch these guys as you tinker with the roster because that never ends, as you know, that's a daily thing that you guys.

You have staff throughout the country, even up in Canada looking at guys. So the roster. I always laugh in the summer when people say it's a final roster. Roster's never find no, no, I think, I think what you um, what you realize. In this business, it's a it's a constant process trying to figure out ways to make the team better. And we do that ourselves. UM. As I

mentioned before, you know, we're we are disappointed with the record. Um, but there are some good things in in the organization in terms of players and stuff like that that we feel good about going forward. We definitely are you know, have you know, focus on some of the young players

that have come in more recently. But it's a constant process and you're you're constantly trying to figure out ways not only too you know, acquire players, add more talented players to roster, but also you know, look at ways we can improve overall, and um so that's kind of been our focus. And again it really from the from the end of July and this right before they started training camp until the end of the draft. It's it's a you know, kind of a nine month sprint. Thanks Mike,

I've enjoyed it. Thank you. Ch