It only appeared that Sam Darnold’s favorite play Sunday against the Bears was the rollout right and chuck it into the fifth row.
Who could blame the kid?
Jets receivers looked like they were handcuffed to Chicago defenders as they created as much separation as you usually have from the overweight guy in the middle seat.
The Jets injury issues at wide receiver have been well-documented. No Quincy Enunwa. No Robby Anderson. No chance. But the Jets’ problems at the position did not just start in October with those injuries. They began in April 2017 when they used a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick on wide receivers — ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen, respectively.
Neither are on the team just 18 months after getting drafted. I am currently spending more time in an NFL locker room than either of them, as they are free agents, hoping to get picked up by someone.
Those two should have provided the depth the Jets needed right now. Taking two players at the same position who both failed is a big mark against general manager Mike Maccagnan.
Todd Bowles has taken the brunt of the criticism this week with the Jets at 3-5 for the third straight year. But Bowles did not get here alone. Maccagnan shares the same 23-33 record in charge of the Jets that Bowles does. To paraphrase the old Bill Parcells line, Maccagan bought the groceries that Bowles has made a meal out of.
I don’t think Maccagnan should be fired. Ownership fully endorsed the rebuild plan in 2017, knowing the idea was to tear things down in Year 1, find a quarterback and a few pieces in Year 2 and then ramp things up in 2019 when there would be nearly $100 million in cap space. Maccagnan deserves to see that plan through.
Nevertheless, he should not escape scrutiny for the current state of the team. Maccagnan has made some really good trades and second-tier signings that I have praised him for previously. Turning Sheldon Richardson into a second-round pick and Jermaine Kearse was shrewd. Moving up to get the No. 3 pick and Darnold this year was terrific. He has found some under-the-radar talent such as Brandon Copeland, Andre Roberts and Henry Anderson who have all made plays this year.
But Maccagnan has whiffed on his bigger signings and much of his drafting outside of the top 10. The signings of Darrelle Revis and Muhammad Wilkerson (a combined $76 million guaranteed) blew up in his face. It is too early to judge the five-year, $72.5 million deal he gave cornerback Trumaine Johnson this year.
In the draft, Maccagnan has hit on Leonard Williams (sixth overall in 2015), Jamal Adams (sixth overall in 2017) and Marcus Maye (second round in 2017). It appears his 2018 draft class may be his best with Darnold, Chris Herndon, Nathan Shepherd, Trenton Cannon and Parry Nickerson all showing promise. But his previous three classes have already taken some hits. Only 10 of the 22 players taken between 2015-17 remain on the active roster. That number will get a boost if Elijah McGuire is taken off IR this week.
There is a clear need for weapons to surround Darnold, but Maccagnan has failed at finding them in the draft. He has drafted four receivers — Stewart, Hansen, Charone Peake and Devin Smith. Only Peake remains on the team and he is primarily a special teams player.
The playmakers were there to be taken, but Maccagnan missed them. Chiefs superstar running back Kareem Hunt was drafted seven picks after Stewart in 2017. Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin, who has four touchdowns this season, went five picks after Stewart. Lions receiver Kenny Golladay, who has three touchdowns, went later in the third round.
Hansen (nine career catches) and Stewart (six career catches) flopped and the Jets paid the price for that Sunday.
Maccagnan deserves another offseason to build this roster, but he can’t afford many more misses.