AFC East Notes: Mike Maccagnan, Jets, Patriots

Mike Maccagnan

• Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes that the pressure is on GM Mike Maccagnan this offseason to get things turned around. 
• Vacchiano mentions Maccagnan’s spotty free agency record, poor draft picks, and lack of discipline on and off of the field as some obvious warning signs the job he’s done. 
• According to Vacchiano, Maccagnan wanted Gregg Williams to be the Jets defensive coordinator long before he hired Adam Gase as the team’s head coach. Gase obviously signed off on the move, but elected to hire his father in law, Joe Vitt, who previously testified against Williams during the BountyGate scandal. 
• A source tells Vacchiano that Maccagnan had reservations about hiring Gregg’s son, Blake Williams.

Jets

• Brian Costello of the New York Post breaks down the Jets’ free agents in terms of whether they will be back with the team in 2019 or playing elsewhere. 
• Costello believes the Jets should try to re-sign DE Henry Anderson, even though he may not be a great fit in Gregg Williams‘ defensive scheme. 
• Costello seems to think re-signing CB Morris Claiborne is more of a fallback option for the Jets this offseason. 
• Jets K Jason Myers will be an interesting case, as he could look to cash in this offseason after a solid 2018 season. Costello notes that GM Mike Maccagnan has shown he is willing to bargain hunt for his kickers. 
• Costello wonders if the Jets could be better off with another veteran backup quarterback after Josh McCown struggled in three starts last year. 
• New York will likely move on from WR Jermaine Kearse, according to Costello. 
• While RB Bilal Powell, NT Steve McLendon, CB Buster Skrine and G James Carpenter have been mainstays for the Jets the past few years, Costello says it’s unlikely they return in 2019. 

Patriots

• According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, a Browns spokesman that the Patriots will receive a seventh-round pick as part of the Josh Gordon trade from September. In the end, the Patriots traded away a 2019 fifth-round pick for Gordon and a 2019 late-seventh-rounder.
• Nick Korte of OverTheCap.com projects the Patriots will receive two third-round, one fifth-round and one seventh-round compensatory picks in 2019.
• Reiss mentions that the Patriots will face a decision regarding special-teams captain Matthew Slater for 2019, as he has a $400,000 roster bonus due on the first day of the 2019 league year. Slater has said he plans to play in 2019 and Reiss believes he should be back with the team.
• Reiss notes that veteran TE Dwayne Allen is among a small group of players who have still been reporting to Gillette Stadium in recent weeks, which could be an indication of the team’s intention to keep him around. However, it’s possible they ask him to take a pay cut from the $6.4 million he’s owed in 2019.