The Chiefs have hired New England front office whiz Scott Pioli as their new general manager. This move impacts the Jets in three ways.
1. Herman Edwards is probabaly gone.
Pioli watched Edwards languish behind the Patriots for five years. He saw first hand the former Jets coach is not a guy around whom one should build a contender. Pioli will probably want to make his mark on the franchise by hiring his own head coach. It is worth pointing out the Jets got a Draft pick that turned into Leon Washington for a coach who only lasted three seasons, two of which landed Kansas City among the league's cellar dwellars.
2. The Jets might have to fight for a coach after all.
Josh McDaniels going to Denver eliminated the most desirable head coaching vacancy from the market. The Jets took that mantle by a large distance for a day. Now it does not seem so clear cut. There may be more talent in place in New York, but the Chiefs are a storied franchise. The ownership situation is stable as the Hunt family is a league institution with a committment to winning. They have a loyal fanbase. The Chiefs also now have an elite talent evaluator working as the general manager. If the Jets and the Chiefs both end up wanting the same guy, there is no guarantee that coach will automatically choose New York. In fact, there is a lot to suggest said coach would choose Kansas City. With McDaniels, the hot commodity with whom Pioli is most familiar, off the market (not to mention Eric Mangini), the Chiefs may well make a play for one of the Jets' top choices.
3. The Patriots have lost a second valuable member of their organization in two days.
Losing a bright young assistant like Josh McDaniels hurt. However, the Pats will overcome that. They have replaced plenty of valuable assistant coaches before. With Bill Belichick overseeing the operation, they are going to be well-coached. The system is in place to develop quality players and coaches. Losing their top talent evaluator, an instrumental player in building their dynasty, will hurt a lot. There may not be anybody in house capable of doing what Pioli did. There were quality assistants behind Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, and Eric Mangini ready to step in. This will not relegate the Pats to the cellar of the league, but it is a major hit.