FanPost

John Idzik's Biggest Mistake (and free agency isn't involved)

John Idzik has transformed the New York Jets, that much is certain. Taking over a dire situation, Idzik built a winner on defense while trying to plug holes in the offense. Aside from the occasional blip on a low-risk high-reward pickup, Idzik has otherwise had a clean track record. That Darrelle Revis trade, however, should not be included.

Yes, Idzik was smart to trade a toxic defensive back who is one of the best in the game but has an ego to great to satisfy (even though he's . Receiving a first and third-round pick was commendable work by Idzik, but because Tampa Bay refused to give up both picks in 2013, Idzik was left with a choice: how should the two picks be broken up?

Ultimately, deciding to take the 2013 1st-round pick and the 2014 3rd-round pick was an idiotic move by the Jets general manager.

Although hindsight is 20'20, I still would not have taken the bait at the time. It was a well-known and popular stance that no quarterback was going to amount to superstardom in 2013, and if anybody thought there was one, the money was on Geno Smith, who has thus far come up flat. Even the other positions the Jets needed at the time, specifically wide receiver and running back, showcased exceptionally poor talent.

Imagine what the Jets could have done with a 1st round pick in 2014. First, although I greatly respect the booed selection of Sheldon Richardson, it is undeniable that the Jets’ interior pass rush was sufficient in 2012, anchored by Quinton Coples and Muhammad Wilkerson. In fact, one of the team’s few strengths at the time of the Revis trade was the defensive end position.

Why didn’t Idzik keep Quinton Coples at his natural defensive end position (one that Coples was suited for as opposed to 34 outside linebacker)? Being the ninth worst team in the NFL in 2013 does not give Idzik & co. the right to take the player who they must’ve thought was BPA (best player available)? Players like DeAndre Hopkins, Cordarelle Patterson, Star Lotulelei, Kenny Vaccaro, and Jarvis Jones all made sense at #13.

But back to the main point: how could that pick (which was spent on BPA) have been better spent in 2013? It’s unruly to believe that the Jets missed out on every player they wanted at #13. So what should they have done? First, the top of the 2013 draft was heraldedly weak at the top, but very balanced in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. With that, Idzik would have reeled in a 2014 1st round pick.

Imagine the prospect of having that 2013 2nd round pick (which could have been used on Keenan Allen or… ). With the 7th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jets would be equipped to select one of the three main quarterbacks: Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles. Instead of taking another defensive lineman and whoever the Jets plan on drafting this year in round , the Jets could have had Blake Bortles and a Keenan Allen or Terrance Williams-like contributor.

This is a FanPost written by a registered member of this site. The views expressed here are those of the author alone and not those of anybody affiliated with Gang Green Nation or SB Nation.