NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. January 10, 2015 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS January 10, 2015 Table of Contents NEWSDAY... 1 Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles are Jets' top coaching candidates (Kimberley Martin and Bob Glauber)... 1 Larry David wants to master Jets' domain (Neil Best)... 2 Mike Maccagnan's second interview 'a good sign' (Kimberley Martin)... 3 NJ ADVANCE MEDIA... 3 Mike Maccagnan, Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles emerge as favorites for Jets' jobs, per reports (Dom Cosentino)... 3 Bart Scott sees Rex Ryan taking some Jets veterans to his next coaching stop (Dom Cosentino)... 4 Former Jets coach Eric Mangini to interview for Washington's defensive coordinator job, per report (Darryl Slater)... 5 Will the Giants and Jets turn to Jersey guys to save the day? Politi Bits (Steve Politi)... 6 NFL Mock Draft 2015: Another expert has Marcus Mariota falling to Jets (Dom Cosentino)... 7 Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin takes same job with Houston Texans, source confirms (Darryl Slater)... 7 Should the Jets pick up linebacker Quinton Coples' fifth-year option? He hopes they do (Darryl Slater)... 8 NEW YORK POST How Woody Johnson can avoid another Idzik-Ryan debacle (Mark Cannizzaro) Dan Quinn favorite to land Jets coaching job: sources (Brian Costello) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets are top choice for Dan Quinn; Mike Maccagnan to dine with Woody Johnson and Co.: sources (Manish Mehta) Top candidate for NY Jets job, Dan Quinn, is ready to take reins, Seahawks players say (Ebenezer Samuel) ESPN NEW YORK Sources: Dan Quinn, Mike Maccagnan front-runners for Jets (Rich Cimini) Jets have favorable salary-cap situation for next GM (Rich Cimini) Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin leaves for Texans (Rich Cimini) FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS NEWSDAY Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles are Jets' top coaching candidates (Kimberley Martin and Bob Glauber) Newsday Move over, Doug Marrone. 1 P a g e

2 According to a source close to the Jets' situation, Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles have emerged as the frontrunners for the team's head-coaching job. Another source familiar with Quinn's thinking said the Seahawks' defensive coordinator has privately expressed his desire to coach the Jets. The next day or so could provide plenty of insight into Woody Johnson's thinking. Seattle hosts the Carolina Panthers Saturday night in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Should the Seahawks win and the Jets not hire Bowles, it'll indicate that Johnson is willing to wait until the Seahawks are eliminated to conduct a second interview with Quinn. If the Seahawks lose, of course, the Jets will be free to speak with him again. But don't count out Bowles. According to a source, the Cardinals' defensive coordinator is a "very strong" contender after his interview Wednesday. Former Bills coach Marrone had a good interview with Johnson and consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf, but Johnson is determined to complete the interview process. And the more candidates he has spoken to, the more impressed he has become with Bowles and Quinn. With the firing of defensive guru Rex Ryan, many assumed Marrone would be the right fit for the Jets because of his offensive background. The Bronx product was the Jets' offensive line coach from and coached his alma mater, Syracuse, before accepting the Bills' head-coaching job in But Johnson's interest in Quinn isn't surprising. The Morristown, New Jersey, product is a former Hofstra defensive assistant and was on Eric Mangini's staff with the Jets from He's also one of the main reasons Seattle's "Legion of Boom" secondary has had success. The Jets' contingent met with Quinn in Seattle on Jan. 2. While there, they also interviewed Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable for the head-coaching job and Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner for general manager. It was rumored that former Jets general manager John Idzik -- a former Seahawks executive -- had eyed Quinn during his two years with the franchise, but Idzik was fired along with Ryan. The Jets seem to be zeroing in on Idzik's replacement. Their leading GM candidate, Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan, had a second interview Friday. Maccagnan, who is one of seven GM candidates, had his first interview on Monday. Larry David wants to master Jets' domain (Neil Best) Newsday The Jets need not waste any more time looking for a head coach - or coordinators. Comedian Larry David, an avid fan, volunteered to help Wednesday during an appearance on Howard Stern's satellite radio program to promote his upcoming Broadway show, "Fish in the Dark." "I think just with a little studying, I could be a tremendous offensive coordinator - and defensive coordinator," he said. "I see many things that I know I can fix." His credentials? 2 P a g e

3 "When I was a kid [in Brooklyn] and we used to play football in the parking lot, I would design very good plays," he said. "Why couldn't I do that? Other people do it. Why not me?" On defense, the co-creator and executive producer of "Seinfeld" said, "Believe me a back would not be open in the flat to get a pass if I was defensive coordinator. That guy would be covered." David also said, "As long as I'm doing offense and defense, I think I could be a head coach." Among his philosophies: rarely, if ever, punting. "I would be a fantastic coach," he said. "It would be a lot of fun." Mike Maccagnan's second interview 'a good sign' (Kimberley Martin) Newsday Could Woody Johnson name a new general manager soon? Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan -- the leading candidate for the Jets' vacant GM job -- has his second interview with Johnson and his team of consultants today. The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m., a source said. Maccagnan is one seven candidates who interviewed for the Jets' GM job, but he's the first to be invited back. And that's a promising sign for the Texans' executive. A source familiar with the Jets' situation said that "second interviews this fast are always a good sign." Maccagnan also is scheduled to have dinner with Johnson on Friday night, according to The Daily News. His sharp personnel skills made him an early favorite in the process. His history with Jets consultant Charley Casserly and some of the team's head-coaching candidates (Doug Marrone, Todd Bowles and Gary Kubiak) doesn't hurt either. Maccagnan scouted for the Redskins from while Casserly was their GM, and Casserly later hired him as a scout when he joined the Texans in With Bob Glauber NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Mike Maccagnan, Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles emerge as favorites for Jets' jobs, per reports (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media January 10, orites_for_jets_jobs_per_reports.html The Jets still do not have a head coach or a general manager, but favorites/frontrunners/clubhouse leaders are starting to pop up for both jobs. 3 P a g e

4 Hightstown native Mike Maccagnan, the director of college scouting for the Texans, had his second interview for the vacant GM position on Friday, and a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Maccagnan is considered a favorite to land the gig. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because he or she was not authorized to talk publicly about the situation. Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports said Friday that he "wouldn't be surprised at all" if Maccagnan was hired as soon as this weekend, though the New York Daily News later reported the Jets were not expected to hire anyone over the weekend. Whee! The head coaching situation isn't quite as clear, but it is starting to come into focus a bit more. On Thursday, there were multiple reports that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, a Morristown native, had reached out to ex-browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan about joining his staff, and that the Jets seemed to be where Quinn was headed. On Friday night, the New York Post and ESPN New York both reported that Quinn had become the Jets' frontrunner, with the Post also saying Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable were in the mix. And Newsday reported that both Quinn and Bowles were the top candidates, and another person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity told NJ Advance Media the Jets had been impressed with Bowles when he interviewed with them on Wednesday. Quinn and Bowles both have plenty of other suitors. Quinn is also a candidate with the Bills, Bears, 49ers, and Falcons. Bowles was to meet with the 49ers, Falcons, and Bears after sitting down with the Jets. That anyone is now considered a frontrunner for a job with the Jets should not, on its face, be taken as a sign that anything's a done deal. Remember: A little more than a week ago, ex-bills head coach Doug Marrone was thought of as a favorite for the Jets. And, as one league source put it Friday night, Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard was considered the leader for the Bears' GM job this week, only to have that position go to former Saints executive Ryan Pace. So let's all sit tight. The next few days ought to provide more clarity on the head coaching front. The Seahawks are scheduled to play the Panthers in a playoff game Saturday night, and if they were to lose, the Jets would be free to interview Quinn again and to make him an offer. But if the Seahawks win and they're favored by 11, per Bovada the Jets would have to wait till the week of Jan to talk to Quinn again. And if the Seahawks get all the way to the Super Bowl, the Jets would have to wait until after the game to offer him the gig. For a complete list of the Jets' confirmed candidates for head coach and general manager, click here. Bart Scott sees Rex Ryan taking some Jets veterans to his next coaching stop (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media _his_next_coaching_stop.html Bart Scott knows Rex Ryan about as well as anyone who's played for Ryan. The pair worked together with the Ravens, where Ryan served as defensive coordinator, and then again with the Jets after Ryan became their head coach in In an interview with ESPN, Scott said he thought Ryan, recently fired as the Jets' head coach after six seasons, would be a good fit with the Falcons, one of three teams with whom Ryan had interviewed this week. 4 P a g e

5 "I think the Falcons are the best situation for Rex to go into," Scott told ESPN. "Come on. You're talking about fixing the defense. I'm sure people see how [Falcons quarterback] Matt Ryan has played. He hasn't had the defense to get him the ball back. The Falcons finished 2014 dead last in the league in defensive DVOA, according to Football Outsiders. Scott, a Jets linebacker from who now works as a studio analyst for CBS, thinks Ryan is just the mastermind to fix that. And Falcons owner Arthur Blank is reportedly a hug Ryan fan. "Rex Ryan is a head coach/defensive coordinator," Scott said, via ESPN. "Let Rex run the show and start dialing up plays to knock [Saints quarterback] Drew Brees out. Look at his history playing against [Panthers quarterback] Cam Newton; Rex knows how to keep Cam in the box. And Tampa Bay? Please. That would be like Homecoming." Scott also has a suggestion for how Ryan might begin doing that. "I think a quick fix for that Atlanta defense is [Jets linebacker] David Harris is up for free agency, and Rex has the ability to bring a guy like that over," Scott said, via ESPN. "He has the ability to bring a guy like [Jets linebacker] Calvin Pace over [via trade] who knows the system and lives in Atlanta. He can bring Harris there to run it if [Falcons Sean] Weatherspoon can't stay healthy. If Weatherspoon is healthy, you move him to the spot I used to play and David Harris plays his spot. "[Safety] Dwight Lowery is already there and he was born and raised in the system, so I think you'll get more out of that player. But then Rex probably has the ability as well to bring a guy like [Cardinals cornerback and ex-jet] Antonio Cromartie to come over opposite Desmond Trufant and slide right in and get instant experience within the defense overnight." How likely is all of that? Harris, who has played all eight of his NFL seasons with the Jets, is indeed a free agent. His agent has told NJ Advance Media Harris hopes to "retire as a Jet," but the Jets Still don't have a head coach or a general manager, so the situation's at least a bit up in the air. Pace, who turns 35 in October, has one year remaining on his contract, though his $2.125 million salary isn't guaranteed, according to overthecap.com. And Cromartie, who joined the Cardinals after being cut by the Jets last spring, is also slated to become a free agent. "Without a great quarterback, Rex was able to go to two AFC championships," Scott said, referring to Ryan's first two seasons with the Jets. "So you give him a quarterback and just imagine how perennial a winner the Atlanta Falcons could be. Just imagine if you give the Falcons a couple of drafts and couple free agents what Rex could do with leads as far as terrorizing that division." We shall see. Former Jets coach Eric Mangini to interview for Washington's defensive coordinator job, per report (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media tons_defensive_coordinator_job_per_report.html Eric Mangini, the man who preceded Rex Ryan as Jets head coach, is seeking a new job, sort of like Ryan. Mangini is still technically employed by the 49ers, but with Jim Harbaugh off to the University of Michigan, there's no telling if the 49ers' new coach will retain Mangini. 5 P a g e

6 Ryan, meanwhile, is completely out of work, but has interviewed with the Falcons, 49ers and Bills for head coaching gigs. Now, Mangini has an interview, too, with Washington, for its defensive coordinator job, according to NBC's affiliate in Washington, D.C. Washington coach Jay Gruden has an opening because Jim Haslett was fired. Other candidates to replace Haslett reportedly include Wade Phillips (former NFL head coach and defensive coordinator), Ed Donatell (49ers defensive backs coach) and Joe Barry (Chargers linebackers coach). Mangini was the Jets' head coach from and the Browns' head coach from He was out of coaching in 2011 and In 2013, the 49ers brought him on-board as an offensive assistant. He coached their tight ends in Before becoming the Jets' coach, Mangini cut his teeth as a defensive assistant. He was New England's defensive backs coach from , and its defensive coordinator in He was a defensive assistant with the Jets from The Raiders have a head coaching opening, and Mangini got an interview for it, but he seems unlikely to land the job. And now the Mangini interview in Washington is officially on, for Monday: Will the Giants and Jets turn to Jersey guys to save the day? Politi Bits (Steve Politi) NJ Advance Media he_day_politi_bits.html We are the ones who suffered the most with the struggles of the local NFL teams, so maybe it's fitting that one of us or, quite possibly, three of us would be tapped to clean up the mess. By us I'm referring to Jersey Guys. The process is still ongoing, and maybe the Giants and Jets will take different directions, but it sure appears that the leaders for the three key vacancies with the two teams are New Jersey natives. The rundown: Dan Quinn, the Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator and Jets head coaching candidate, grew up in Morristown. He was the defensive line coach at Hofstra in 1997, where he worked alongside an up-andcoming offensive line coach Kyle Flood, the head coach at Rutgers. Mike Maccagnan, the Houston Texas director of college scouting who is interviewing for a second time with the Jets for their GM vacancy, is a Hightstown native. His strong ties to the two consultants helping Woody Johnson make this hire lead many in the NFL to believe he's the frontrunner. Raheem Morris, the secondary coach for the Washington Redskins who is interviewing for the Giants defensive coordinator job, is from Irvington. He played defensive back at Irvington High in the early '90s before beginning his quick climb in the coaching ranks (he is the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach). (And while we're on the topic of Jersey Guys, isn't it a surprise that we haven't seen another one surface sooner?) 6 P a g e

7 It shouldn't surprise anyone, of course, that coaches and executives with Jersey ties are being interviewed. We've produced a few good ones over the years. Will there be another Vince Lombardi or Bill Parcells? Uh, yeah. We probably should let them get the jobs first. NFL Mock Draft 2015: Another expert has Marcus Mariota falling to Jets (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media a_falling_to_jets.html Wait. Didn't the Jets blow any chance to draft Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota by winning a pair of games in the final four weeks of the season? Ah, but we're officially into the anything goes portion of Mock Draft Season, which means the debate is on about whether Mariota is really going to be the top pick in the draft, because hey why not there are still three-and-a-half months to kill until the April 30-May 2 draft so here goes nothing. Thursday afternoon, Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead put on his blindfold, spun around a couple of times, and pinned the Jets on Mariota's name at No. 6. And later Thursday, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report whose draft analysis is pretty sound, incidentally did the same. Here's Miller's top six: 1. Bucs: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State 2. Titans: Leonard Williams, DL, USC 3. Jaguars: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska 4. Raiders: La'el Collins, OT, LSU 5. Washington: Landon Collins, SS, Alabama 6. Jets: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon The reason McIntyre had Mariota tumbling to sixth is because he thinks the Bucs and Titans two teams picking ahead of the Jets and in need of quarterbacks don't have the sort of offenses for which Mariota would be a good fit. (Washington picks fifth, but it's debatable whether Washington will want to take a quarterback or stick with Robert Griffin III. My money's on them staying with Griffin, but I also never gamble.) That Miller also sees Mariota sliding to No. 6 is a pretty good indication we're going to hear plenty of talk before the draft about whether Mariota is merely a "system quarterback" who owes his success to Oregon's wide-open spread offense. Who else is excited? But if we're going to say the Bucs and Titans may not want Mariota because of their offensive systems, is it not also a bit premature to say the Jets would want him, considering the Jets still you know have neither a head coach nor a general manager? Or would saying such a thing violate the spirit (i.e., guesswork) that makes Mock Draft Season the phenomenon it's become? Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin takes same job with Houston Texans, source confirms (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media 7 P a g e

8 th_houston_texans_source_confirms.html After Jets owner Woody Johnson fired head coach Rex Ryan last month, he told Ryan's assistants that they were free to seek other jobs, or they could stick around and wait to be interviewed by the new head coach. The assistants knew Ryan's replacement was unlikely to retain most of them, even if they were under contract with the Jets for the 2015 season. The Jets on Friday saw their first assistant coach departure, when offensive line coach Mike Devlin took the same job with the Texans, a source confirmed. Devlin was under contract with the Jets for 2015, the source said. The news was first reported by Fox Sports. Houston on Thursday fired offensive line coach Paul Dunn. Devlin being under contract with the Jets for 2015 provided him financial stability, if Ryan's replacement decided to not retain him. But from Johnson's perspective, it did not prevent Devlin, or the other assistants still under contract, from seeking a new job, if they chose to do that. Devlin had been with the Jets since 2006, the first year for head coach Eric Mangini. Devlin was retained by Ryan when he arrived in Devlin coached the Jets' tight ends in 2006, and then again from , while also assisting with the offensive line during those years. He worked with the offensive line in In 2013, he was promoted to head offensive line coach. He was the Jets' longest-tenured current assistant. Though Devlin is the first Ryan assistant to leave the Jets this offseason, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg got some interest from Tampa Bay for its offensive coordinator job. The Buccaneers wound up hiring Atlanta offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, whose boss, Mike Smith, was just fired. Should the Jets pick up linebacker Quinton Coples' fifth-year option? He hopes they do (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media Among their many upcoming offseason decisions -- that whole head coach and general manager search thing chief among them -- the Jets must decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option on Quinton Coples' rookie contract. Coples was the 16th overall pick in He was drafted as a defensive end, but has played mostly rush outside linebacker the past two seasons, in Rex Ryan's 3-4 defense. Coples' role in the new head coach's defense remains unclear, because we don't know yet whether the Jets will play a 3-4 or a 4-3. For what it's worth, Coples admires Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who uses a 4-3. Quinn appears to be one of the Jets' top candidates to replace Ryan. But is Coples part of the Jets' long-term plans? The new GM will have to decide that. Coples' first three seasons were not spectacular. If the Jets don't pick up his fifth-year option for the 2016 season, Coples would become an unrestricted free agent after this year. If the Jets want to exercise his fifth-year option, they must do so before May 3. 8 P a g e

9 Coples hopes they do it. "Obviously, yeah, I would hope," he said. "But it's a business. I understand. I'm well prepared for both sides.... I think throughout the years, they'll see what I've done, and all that situation will be handled. I'm looking forward to it, and to meeting the GM as well. Right now, it's just sit back and wait." Coples spoke Thursday morning after an appearance at Newark's Malcolm X Shabazz High School, during which Coples honored students who achieved academic success, or made significant improvement. It was part of the Quinton Coples Foundation's Student of the Month program. It is no sure thing that the Jets will pick up Coples' fifth-year option. They did it last year with 2011 firstround pick Muhammad Wilkerson, a star defensive end, because it made financial sense. It was an obvious decision for the Jets. They will pay Wilkerson $6.969 million next season -- far below market value for a player of his caliber. The Jets want to sign Wilkerson to a long-term deal. The same might not be true of Coples, who struggled in 2013 while moving from defensive line to outside linebacker. Coples has 16½ career sacks, including a career-best 6½ in Among 3-4 outside linebackers, Pro Football Focus rated him 40th out of 46 players for the 2014 season. He was 27th as a pass rusher and 42nd against the run. Last season, PFF rated Coples 31st overall, out of 42 outside linebackers who played in a 3-4 defense. He was 38th as a pass rusher and 18th against the run. It might not make financial sense for the Jets to exercise Coples' fifth-year option for 2016, if he is unlikely to command a high enough dollar figure on the open market. In this case, the Jets, or anybody else, could probably sign him for less than the fifth-year option price. But the Jets would be running the risk of letting Coples become a free agent after If he goes out and has a monster 2015 season, after the Jets declined to exercise his fifth-year option for 2016, then they could be kicking themselves entering next offseason. So how does the fifth-year option price work? As part of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, all rookie contracts are four-year deals. For firstround picks, their teams get the option of tacking a fifth year onto the deal. Players drafted in the top 10 get the NFL's transition tag figure -- the average salary of the top 10 earning players at the position. For the rest of the first-round picks, the fifth-year option's dollar figure is the average of the 25 highest-paid players at their position, excluding the top three earners. For Wilkerson, who was picked 30th in 2011, that figure turned out to be $6.969 million for the 2015 season. Coples' fifth-year option figure will be at least that, and likely more. In 2015, Coples will count $2.8 million toward the Jets' salary cap -- a modest figure. Once a team activates a player's fifth-year option, the money is guaranteed only for injury. So if the Jets pick up Coples' fifth-year option in May (and they'd be foolish to do it before then), the money is guaranteed only if Coples sustains an injury in 2015 that knocks him out through the 2016 season, which is unlikely. The fifth-year option becomes fully guaranteed money at the beginning of the 2016 league year, next March. So even if the Jets pick up Coples' option this May, they won't be completely on the hook for the money until next March. That gives them a while to figure out what they want to do with Coples in P a g e

10 Presuming he does not sustain a serious injury that sidelines him for 2016, the Jets could cut him after the 2015 season, even if they do pick up his fifth-year option -- and be on the hook for no financial/salary cap commitment, provided they cut him before March of (Andrew Brandt of The MMQB has a really good explanation of the pros and cons of a fifth-year option right here. He points out the value, for a team, of having contractual control of a player, at very little risk. And the fifth-year options give teams a window to have that.) The Jets have some time to make a decision on Coples' fifth-year option. If they exercise it, they are unlikely to do so before early May. At this point, with three years of uneven performances under his belt, Coples can only wait to see what they do. "That's for them to decide," Coples said. "I could sit here and say yes, or I could sit here and say no. But at the end of the day, it's up to them to decide. I look forward to the decision and seeing what they say." NEW YORK POST How Woody Johnson can avoid another Idzik-Ryan debacle (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post Things appear to be getting serious between Woody Johnson and Mike Maccagnan, his prospective next general manager. The Jets owner and Maccagnan met for a second time Friday and had dinner together. If Johnson didn t offer him the job over dessert, several sources believe Maccagnan, the only GM candidate to be called back for a second visit, is the Jets man and an offer is imminent. Now comes the hard part for Johnson: Hiring his next head coach. This represents the most critical juncture of his 15 years as Jets owner and he cannot afford to screw it up not coming off a 4-12 season, a fourth consecutive year out of the playoffs and disgruntled PSL customers dwindling. Johnson cannot allow another scenario in which there is no synergy between the general manager and head coach the most important relationship in the building. The cloud from the failed forced marriage between John Idzik and Rex Ryan still casts a dark shadow over the Jets and Johnson cannot allow that to happen again. So the question now once Maccagnan is secured (if indeed he is Johnson s man) is this: Who will be picking the head coach? The new general manager? Johnson s consultants respected former NFL general managers Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf whom he hired to help him choose candidates and make choices? Or only Johnson? For the Jets sake, let s hope Johnson will allow his new general manager s choice for head coach to carry the most weight, followed by the opinions of Casserly and Wolf. As the owner, as it should be, Johnson has final say. But it s crucial for him to follow the lead of his football people. 10 P a g e

11 Two years ago, Johnson let his affinity for Ryan cloud his judgment when he retained Ryan and hired Idzik. We all saw how that worked out. The GM-HC-of-the-NYJ combination that makes the most sense for Johnson is Maccagnan who by numerous accounts from league sources is the highly respected, organized football man with a sound plan that the Jets need in the front office and Doug Marrone, the former Jets assistant and the former Bills head coach who opted out of his contract two weeks ago. The two men know each other well, have worked together and would dovetail with their organizational beliefs and philosophies in a way Ryan and Idzik never did. Maccagnan, a lifer NFL scout type, is a strong personnel man who would bring in the talent that Idzik failed to procure. Marrone is a fixer, a coach who took over a Syracuse program that was one of the worst in major college football and brought it respectability, brought it bowl games. Those who are fixated only on his record at Syracuse are missing the point about the depths from which Marrone excavated that program. The same goes for those who are obsessing on his record in Buffalo, where he took over one of the sorriest NFL franchises and led the Bills to their first winning season in 10 years in 2014 going 9-7 just two years into the job. Dysfunction and a dearth of talent were rampant at both Syracuse and Buffalo when Marrone took over those programs. Those two issues exist with Johnson s Jets right now. Marrone, who is a Bronx native, knows this difficult market and is unafraid of its challenges. It s possible Marrone might not be Johnson s man; sources say he likes Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn a lot and Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles also impressed the Jets owner. But neither Quinn nor Bowles both of whom might turn out to be excellent head coaches has any NFL head coaching experience. If Maccagnan is indeed Johnson s man as the new GM and Johnson insists on hiring Quinn or Bowles, he ll be taking a significant risk with first timers at both GM and head coach. Johnson, who has been intent on taking his time and seeing the thorough process through before making these hires, is cautious by nature. He needs to be very careful with this head coaching hire and listen to his new GM and his football consultants. That s his best way to avoid making the same mistake he made two years ago, his best way to reverse the course for his floundering franchise. Dan Quinn favorite to land Jets coaching job: sources (Brian Costello) New York Post The Jets are getting closer to hiring a new general manager, but the search for a head coach could last a while. Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has emerged as the favorite to land the head coaching job, according to league sources. But the Jets must wait until after the Seahawks season ends before offering him the job. That could be Feb. 2 if the Seahawks make a return trip to the Super Bowl. The Seahawks face the Panthers on Saturday in the divisional round. 11 P a g e

12 The Jets interviewed Texans scouting director Mike Maccagnan for a second time on Friday for their general manager opening, according to sources. He is the only GM candidate to have been asked for a second interview and is viewed as the favorite to land the job, perhaps as soon as this weekend. Owner Woody Johnson had dinner with Maccagnan on Friday night, a sign there is serious interest. Many people viewed former Bills coach Doug Marrone as the favorite to be Rex Ryan s replacement, particularly if Maccagnan became the GM. The two have known each other for 25 years. But a source said Marrone is not one of the top candidates for the head coaching job. Even if Maccagnan is named GM, it seems unlikely at this point that Marrone will become the coach. A source said Quinn, Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Seahawks assistant head coach/offensive line Tom Cable are the top candidates. A league source said those three had the best interviews with the Jets out of the six candidates who have interviewed so far. Marrone was seen as the front-runner for the job after opting out of his contract with the Bills on Dec. 31. The Jets acted quickly to line up an interview and brought him in three days later. The consultants leading the search with Johnson Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf were both very high on Marrone, but Johnson was not equally enthused about Marrone. Two sources said that Marrone did not bomb the interview as has been reported, but Johnson was committed to letting the process play out and did not want to hire anyone quickly. As he interviewed candidates, Marrone was not at the top of his list. All searches are fluid processes, so it is possible Johnson could change his mind on Marrone, but that does not sound likely. Johnson does want to speak to Quinn again. The team interviewed him on Jan. 1 in Seattle, but cannot talk to him again until the Seahawks lose or the bye week before the Super Bowl if Seattle wins the NFC championship. If the latter is the case, the Seahawks also would have to grant permission for the Jets to talk to him. Quinn, 44, has been the Seahawks defensive coordinator for two seasons. A Morristown, N.J. native, Quinn was the defensive coordinator at the University of Florida in He has experience with the Jets, having served as the team s defensive line coach under Eric Mangini in The Jets may have competition for Quinn. Besides the Jets, Quinn also has interviewed with the 49ers, Falcons, Bills and Bears. The main question with Quinn seems to be the timeline, not his credentials. Will teams be willing to wait until after the Super Bowl to hire their head coach and then assemble a coaching staff if the Seahawks make it that far? Fellow Seahawks assistant Cable also impressed the Jets in his interview on Jan. 2. Cable, 50, has head coaching experience, having coached the Raiders from , going there. He also spent three years as the head coach at the University of Idaho, where he went Cable has been accused of domestic violence by multiple women and also allegedly broke the jaw of one of his assistants in Oakland. Bowles, 51, interviewed with the Jets on Wednesday after helping the Cardinals make the playoffs where they lost in the first round last weekend to the Panthers. Bowles, from Elizabeth, N.J., is another hot coaching candidate after leading a defense that was 5th in scoring. He interviewed with the Bears on Thursday and reportedly will talk to the Falcons on Saturday. Offensive line coach Mike Devlin left the Jets to take the same job with the Texans, according to a source. Devlin had been with the Jets since 2006, the longest-tenured member of the coaching staff. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 12 P a g e

13 NY Jets are top choice for Dan Quinn; Mike Maccagnan to dine with Woody Johnson and Co.: sources (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News Woody Johnson's new vision for the Jets is coming into focus less than two weeks after the owner hit the reset button on his franchise. Johnson, team president Neil Glat and consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf have targeted Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan to be the next general manager, according to sources, in the first step of an organizational restructuring plan designed to get the Jets back on the right path. Johnson and the Jets brain trust brought Maccagnan back for a second interview on Friday. The Daily News has learned that Maccagnan and Jets brass will have dinner Friday night before an official decision is made. Casserly & Co. could conceivably bring in an experienced contract negotiator/front office executive to complement the new GM's skill set. If Maccagnan gets the job, he'll have plenty on his to-do list starting with identifying his new head coach. Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the most coveted head coaching candidate on the market who has interviewed with five teams, has told friends that the Jets are his top choice, according to sources. The Jets have strong interest in bringing Quinn aboard. Quinn, who interviewed with Jets brass last week in Seattle, wants Kyle Shanahan, who parted ways with the Browns on Thursday, to be his offensive coordinator in New York, sources said. Quinn has told friends that he would like former Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik, who has been an ESPN analyst for the past year, to join the operation. The Jets have reached out to Dominik for a possible role, but have not yet scheduled an interview, according to sources. Dominik has received endorsements from high-level executives across the league in the past week, according to sources. His cap and contract management was one of his strengths as Bucs GM from The Jets preference has been to first hire a general manager, who would help fill in the blanks. Maccagnan would play a central role in re-shaping the front office if the Jets select him. If the Seahawks beat the Panthers in the divisional playoffs on Saturday, the earliest teams could talk to Quinn again would be after the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 18. If Seattle wins the conference title, the earliest meeting would occur during the Super Bowl bye week. Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is in play after interviewing with the Jets earlier this week. The Jets requested permission to interview Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, who was hired by Casserly in Houston, but the play caller has put off any meetings with teams until Baltimore is eliminated from the playoffs. The Ravens face the Patriots in Foxborough on Saturday. The Jets could conceivably bring him in for an interview next week if Baltimore loses. It is less likely that former Bills coach Doug Marrone, who interviewed last weekend, will be the next head coach, according to a source. Maccagnan was the first GM candidate to receive a second interview. Many people in league circles were hardly surprised given Maccagnan's history with Casserly, who hired him as a scout in Washington 20 years ago before bringing him to Houston. 13 P a g e

14 Maccagnan, who has been the Texans' college scouting director since 2012, has a reputation of being a quiet worker. It will be a shock to the system to be thrust into his new role in a large media market. Some front office executives compared Maccagnan's understated demeanor to former Jets GM John Idzik even though they come from vastly different football backgrounds. Maccagnan's draft record has been uneven. The Jets have placed a priority on finding a reputable talent evaluator, but there are fair questions about whether Maccagnan has the necessary leadership traits or communication and recruiting acumen to attract top-notch free agents. He has never negotiated contracts, so he'll need a seasoned executive to handle that load and work with him to procure better talent than what Idzik left behind. Top candidate for NY Jets job, Dan Quinn, is ready to take reins, Seahawks players say (Ebenezer Samuel) New York Daily News RENTON, Wash. The loudest mouth in all of Seattle knows exactly what s going to happen when the Seahawks playoff run is over. That s when Dan Quinn, the maestro behind the NFL s most fearsome defense, will leave, heading off to become the head coach of some other team, bringing his potent schemes and perfect coaching attitude to another club. And Richard Sherman knows exactly how that is going to work out. I think he d be fantastic, Sherman told the Daily News. Yeah, yeah, Sherman said, Quinn will almost certainly land in a rebuilding situation. But he can handle it. Obviously, you re not always getting a great team, so it takes some time to develop, Sherman said. But he ll be fantastic. The entire Seattle locker room knows this, because for two years, the Seahawks watched Quinn guide them to into NFL lore, the unit that stuffed Peyton Manning s supposedly unstoppable Broncos in last season s Super Bowl. Two years of guiding this dominant Seattle D have transformed Quinn into the hottest head coaching candidate in the NFL. He s interviewed for five jobs including the Jet vacancy already. Every team knows it must wait for him to finish with this Seattle run, but several clubs seem content to wait. Why? Because Quinn, who coached the Seahawks D-line in 2010, headed to Florida as an assistant, and then returned as defensive coordinator in 2013, has displayed a style that seems ideal for a head coach, forming bonds with his players, and extracting every last ounce of talent from his defenders. Quinn is as much about X s and O s as he is about player development, as middle linebacker Bobby Wagner learned when Quinn took the job two years ago. Quinn s first move: Sitting Wagner and breaking down his game. I ve had coaches do that before, Wagner said. But those are coaches I m kinda close with. This was the first thing he did. 14 P a g e

15 Players love Quinn s approach. Linebacker Bruce Irvin describes Quinn s realness, and safety Kam Chancellor describes how easily Quinn manages the defense s multiple egos, balancing the quiet Earl Thomas with the loquacious Sherman. He can help multiple personalities relate to each other, Chancellor said. He made us believe. So yeah, I can envision him as a head coach. Quinn also doesn t overburden his players with X s and O s. He focuses on empowering his defenders, working with the likes of Wagner, then schooling everyone in fundamentals instead of complicated schemes. Nearly every day includes a review of good tackles and bad tackles. Quinn builds simple, straightforward defensive schemes, allowing his players to be aggressive and attack the ball. How crazy is the defensive game plan for the Seahawks team that has allowed 6.5 points per game in its last six games? Not very. We don t have to go out there and come out with this master game plan, said linebacker K.J. Wright. Just regular ball, just read your keys and go. If you watch us, we run pretty much simple plays. It s not a trick that we re doing. But it s a simplicity that players love. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams, now in his 12th year, has seen far too many coaches fail because they wanted to play game-plan mad scientist. You get that a lot in the league, said Williams, a first-year Hawk. Sometimes, the coaches think up the perfect play, how to stop this or that. But when you simplify what you re doing, everybody can play fast. Let us play faster. If only all coaches got that. Quinn does. And somewhere, Pete Carroll knows, he ll be a fine head coach. That s why there s a lot of people talking to him, wanting to know where he s going next, Carroll said. And you can understand that. ESPN NEW YORK Sources: Dan Quinn, Mike Maccagnan front-runners for Jets (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York How does a Dan Quinn-Mike Maccagnan tandem grab you? The Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator and the Houston Texans' director of college scouting have emerged as the front-runners in the New York Jets' concurrent searches for a new head coach and general manager, according to sources. In reality, Quinn has been the favorite for a few days, but his candidacy has gained traction now that team officials have all but completed the first round of interviews. By rule, the Jets aren't allowed to make Quinn a formal offer until the Seahawks' season is over -- that could take another three weeks -- but they appear to be getting close to naming a GM. On Friday, they met for a second time with Maccagnan. He returned to Florham Park, New Jersey, only four days after his first interview and spent the latter part of the day with owner Woody Johnson and team officials. The group was scheduled to continue talks over dinner. If everything goes well, a deal could 15 P a g e

16 get wrapped up over the weekend, sources said. The discussions were described by one source as "very positive." The Jets have met with seven GM candidates. That Maccagnan has emerged from the group is hardly a surprise. He's a Charley Casserly protégé, dating to their days with the Washington Redskins in the early 1990s. Casserly and Ron Wolf were hired by Johnson as consultants for the dual searches. Maccagnan is a longtime talent evaluator, although this is his first shot at a GM job. On the coaching front, the Jets have interviewed six of their seven candidates. They're still waiting on Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, but that interview -- if it happens -- may not matter at this point. Quinn has impressed owner Woody Johnson & Co., and the Jets apparently are willing to wait for Quinn. It could be a long wait, perhaps to Feb. 2. If the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl, the Jets wouldn't be able to strike an agreement with Quinn until the game is over, according to league rules. They'd be allowed to meet with him for a second interview during the bye week, with Seattle's permission, but the rules prohibit them from extending an offer at that time. Obviously, the Jets wouldn't wait that long unless they had an unofficial nod from Quinn's camp. Quinn is perhaps the hottest head-coaching candidate on the market. He has interviewed with five teams, meaning there could be competition for the Jets. He likely will receive multiple offers, according to a source, so it's premature to say he's a lock for the Jets. However, he has strong ties to New Jersey. He grew up in Morristown, a few miles from the Jets' facility, and has family in the area. He was a Jets assistant in 2007 and From the outset, the Jets considered Quinn a strong candidate. So was former Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone, who has an ally in Casserly. But Marrone's candidacy has faded as Johnson has become smitten with Quinn. He was interviewed Jan. 2 in Seattle during the Seahawks' bye week. Quinn will be involved Saturday in the divisional playoffs, as will Kubiak. The Jets also have met with Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich and Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn. In the end, it could be a Quinn-Maccagnan ticket as the Jets attempt to rebuild after a disastrous 4-12 season. Jets have favorable salary-cap situation for next GM (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the New York Jets' general-manager vacancy is the team's salarycap situation. The Jets are well-positioned to spend a lot of money to fix the roster. We're talking about roughly $40 million in projected cap space. The Jets have $98.75 million committed to the 2015 cap, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Right now, the league projects the cap to be $138.6 million to $141.8 million -- and it could go even higher. 16 P a g e

17 By rule, they're not allowed to be cheap, as they were under former GM John Idzik. The collective bargaining agreement requires teams to spend 89 percent of the salary cap in cash over four-year periods, from 2013 to 2016 and 2017 to In 2014, the Jets were 30th in spending ($ million) and below the 89-percent threshold since 2013 at percent, according to CBSSports.com. A look at the Jets' 10 highest cap charges for 2015 LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson -- $11.7 million WR Percy Harvin -- $10.5 million C Nick Mangold -- $10.4 million DE Muhammad Wilkerson -- $6.97 million WR Eric Decker -- $6.5 million RT Breno Giacomini -- $5.1 million CB Dee Milliner -- $3.45 million LB Quinton Coples -- $2.8 million RB Chris Ivory -- $2.75 million DT Sheldon Richardson -- $2.74 million Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin leaves for Texans (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York New York Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin is leaving to accept the same position with the Houston Texans, a league source confirmed. Devlin, one of at least three coaches on last year's staff under contract for 2015, was the longest-tenured member of the Jets' coaching staff. He was a holdover from the Eric Mangini regime, starting in He took over the offensive line in Previously, he coached the tight ends and helped with the line. He became the first member of Rex Ryan's old staff to leave for another team. Obviously, his former assistants are in limbo, many of them hoping to join Ryan if he lands another head-coaching job. When Ryan was fired, the assistants were told they could seek other jobs or remain to interview for their old positions. Devlin replaces Paul Dunn, who was fired Thursday after only one season with the Texans. Fox Sports first reported Devlin's hire. FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS Associated Press 17 P a g e