FanPost

All Eyes On Idzik


This time last year the Jets were the laughing stock of the league all other 31 teams could here sounds such as "da da dala da dala" coming from Florham Park.Owner Woody Johnson fired gm Mike Tannenbuem while keeping Rex Ryan only to be spotted in the Bahamas with what appeared to be a tattoo of Mark Sanchez on his arm.The Jets could not give away there general manager job critics from around the league said nobody wants to take a job in which they can't bring in there own coach which would essentially stamp a tattoo on Ryan's own sleeve as "a lame duck coach".

But after the search went on for several weeks the Jets finally found a candidate that was not afraid of the task ahead. His name John Idzik.As soon as he took the job he was faced with some very difficult decisions in front of him such as what to do with Tim Tebow having a aging roster that was over the salary cap and on top of that were reports of owner Woody Johnson determined to trade Darrelle Revis.

None of this seemed to faze Idzik though he first stopped all the leaks to the press coming with in the orginization and moved very calm and swift on his decisions ahead first he he trimmed some fat on the roster with some gutsy cuts such as Bart Scott a guy Rex brought with him from Baltimore Sione Pouha and Calvin Pace. Who was later signed at a cheaper salary.He also made some difficult decisions on not retaining players such as Dustin Keller Brandon Moore and Laron Landry who just had a pro bowl year.

His next move and one in which will always be linked to him during his tenure as gm of the Jets is trading Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccanners.This was highly critized by some experts but the fact that he some how managed to come away with the Bucs 1st round pick in last years draft and a 4th round pick that becomes a 3rd if Revis remains on the Bucs once the league year begins for a player coming off acl surgery and only one team bidding against there selves.So next came the draft with the Jets having 2 first round picks this was going to be crucial to the Jets future so Idzk with his first round picks select Dee Millner and Sheldon Richardson and in the 2nd round maybe a little luck but some how Geno Smith falls all the way to the 2nd round the once thought to be 1st pick in the draft. He also filled the rest of the draft out with Brian Winters a trade for Chris Ivory,Tommy Bohhanon,Oday Aboushi,Willie Campbell.

With signings such as Dawan Landry,Antwan Barnes,Willie Colon David Nelson and Kellen Winslow with a draft lead by defensive rookie of the year nominee Sheldon Richardson and Minlliner and Geno showing great flashes of potential he put together a team that went 8-8 and just missed the playoffs who was before the season predicted to win no more than 3 games.

But now comes the real test for Idzik with as much as 12picks in this years draft and up to as much as $40 million in cap space avaible Idzik can turn the Jets into a team headed for greatness or with the wrong choices stuck with no direction.Time will tell but one thing is for sure all eyes are on Idzik.

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