New York Jets GM John Idzik Is Setting Rex Ryan Up To Fail

By Brad Berreman @bradberreman24 on October 20, 2014

The New York Jets offered a ray of hope to fans in a close loss to the New England Patriots last Thursday night, and more positivity came with Friday’s acquisition of wide receiver Percy Harvin from the Seattle Seahawks. The Jets sent a conditional mid-round pick to Seattle, and with no guaranteed money left on Harvin’s contract after this season, it’s a low-risk move. Secondarily, acquiring Harvin serves as an admission by general manager John Idzik that he has not surrounded quarterback Geno Smith with enough talent.

The Jets introduced Harvin to the media on Monday, and Idzik called the trade a “potential coup” for the team. Even with six straight losses and a 1-6 record this season, Idzik also said he doesn’t think it’s too late for the Jets to go on a run and earn a playoff berth.

To say the odds are against the Jets making the playoffs this year is an understatement, but Idzik has now offered some expectations that he can bring back to owner Woody Johnson when making a case to fire head coach Rex Ryan after the season. At least that’s how I see it, and Idzik does not have me fooled if his ultimate plan it to point the team’s failures strictly at Ryan while absolving himself of any blame.

Ryan’s job status was tenuous toward the end of last season, despite the Jets winning three of their final four games, and a multi-year contract extension in January did nothing to take him off the hot seat entering this season. The team’s struggles since a Week 1 victory fueled some speculation that Ryan would be fired in-season, but last week’s effort against New England has likely put that talk on the back burner now.

Idzik replaced Mike Tannenbaum as Jets’ general manager in January of 2013, which of course means he has not had the opportunity to hire a head coach with Ryan fairly firmly in place. A front office executive wanting to put his stamp on a franchise and hire a coach of his choosing is hardly unprecedented, but Idzik’s lack of adequate personnel moves, despite ample salary cap space to do so, in support of Ryan is very glaring. I’m not advocating spending money just to make it look like winning is a priority, but the Jets’ roster has some clear deficiencies that could have been cured with another solid move or two last offseason.

Harvin should help a Jets’ offense that is 31st in the league in passing (185.4 yards per game) right now, assuming he toes the line and does not bring too much of his past baggage with him. The second part of that statement is not likely of course, based purely on the fact Harvin was unhappy on a winning team in Seattle and has issues going back to college. So Idzik has put more than a few chips into the middle of the table by making a mid-season trade for a malcontent wide receiver.

By stating he doesn’t think the playoffs are out of the question, Idzik has put on public record that he expects to win more than a few games over the rest of the season. Realistic or not, a media-hungry, headline-seeking owner like Johnson surely loves Idzik’s confidence and may hold a dismal finish against Ryan as a result.

If Harvin stays healthy and plays well, for this season and presumably beyond if the Jets keep him around, Idzik will look like a shrewd general manager. I’m not alone in thinking that the Seahawks sold low, based solely on Harvin’s talent level, but adding him to a losing team in the world’s largest media market looks like a recipe for disaster, and a relationship between player and team that won’t be lengthy.

Idzik has quite possibly put his own job security on the line now, but time will tell if the turmoil Harvin apparently brought to two previous locker rooms follows him cross-country. It’s safe to say trouble will follow Harvin to New York once a brief honeymoon period is over, which stands to hinder Smith’s development as the Jets’ quarterback of the present and future as he deals with Harvin’s inflated ego. And that may be where Harvin’s negative impact will be felt the most, if his presence pushes the Jets toward needing to find another young quarterback in short order. If Harvin is a headache (pun acknowledged, and intended) and Smith fails to take the next step over the final nine games of this season, both of those failures will fall squarely on Idzik.

Ryan still may not make it to the end of the season, though a move to relieve him of his duties anytime soon would be surprising all things considered. I have to think a part of him hopes he does not finish the season as Jets’ head coach, if only so he can move forward with his coaching career and perhaps get a jump on finding a defensive coordinator position for 2015.

Ryan clearly has an advocate in Johnson, otherwise he may have already been fired. It’s safe to assume Idzik recognizes Johnson’s affinity for Ryan, and knows he’ll have to turn the owner the other direction on the head coach to have any hope of firing him. Effectively setting a coach up to fail, based on a willful effort to sabotage Ryan or simple ineptitude on his own, means Idzik should pay with his job too when the move to acquire Harvin inevitably goes bad.

Brad Berreman is a Columnist at Rant Sports.com. Connect with him on Twitter and Google +.