Jets Rumors: Woody Johnson, Joe Douglas, Rex Ryan, New GM Candidates

The fallout from Jets owner Woody Johnson‘s decision to fire GM Joe Douglas with several games still remaining in the season continues to reverberate around the league, with revelations about the state of things inside the organization. 

Here’s a collection of various reports on the situation: 

Woody Johnson

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks Douglas’ failure to hit on quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson before adding Aaron Rodgers was a “big reason” for him getting fired. 
• In the end, Breer believes it’s time Jets owner Woody Johnson takes a look at himself as a reason behind New York’s inability to create a winning team. 
• Breer writes Johnson has surrounded himself with “too many nonfootball yes men,” and listens to them too often on football decisions. 
• Breer is confident Johnson’s track record will make it more difficult for New York to land general manager and head coach candidates with options elsewhere. 
• Breer also reports Johnson’s staff was informed of their decision within an hour of his dismissal while co-director of player personnel Greg Nejmeh has taken on a more “prominent role” in recent weeks. 

Joe Douglas

• Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic report that Jets GM Joe Douglas lost some of his power during the 2023 season with Johnson taking a more active role with the team.
• Douglas reportedly was ready to offer an extension to EDGE Bryce Huff during the regular season last year, but owner Woody Johnson ultimately vetoed it.
• Johnson prevented Douglas from hiring replacements for assistant GM Rex Hogan, who was fired, and director of player personnel Chad Alexander, who left for an assistant GM job with the Chargers. He was close with both men who were hired as a part of his initial staff in 2019. 
• During the offseason, Douglas reportedly offered the Broncos a Day 2 pick and WR Allen Lazard for WR Jerry Jeudy, but this was also nixed by Johnson.
• Multiple sources tell The Athletic they believe the Jets signed OT Tyron Smith and WR Mike Williams in part because of “Johnson’s preoccupation with social media.”
• Douglas was reportedly warned by EDGE Haason Reddick’s representation that if the Jets didn’t plan on signing him to an extension, they should not pursue a trade. In the end, Douglas felt that they could figure things out, given that the asking price was a 2026 third-round pick.
• Johnson wasn’t willing to offer Reddick the extension, which ultimately led to the holdout.
• Johnson also pushed Douglas to trade for Raiders WR Davante Adams and in turn part with a conditional third-round pick.
• The Jets also benched S Tony Adams this past week “at the behest of Johnson.”

Rex Ryan

• Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says there’s a belief from some people who know how Jets owner Woody Johnson operates that he’s going to try to recapture some of the past success the organization has had with his next moves. 
• Florio speculates that could mean hiring former HC Rex Ryan, who’s been working for ESPN for the past several years but has been exploring a return to the coaching ranks. 

Next Jets GM Candidates

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano note that while the Jets’ GM vacancy will have some question marks given everything that’s happened recently, ultimately there are only 32 of these jobs and GMs tend to get a longer leash than coaches, so the Jets will be able to find a reasonably qualified candidate. 
• They also point out Jets owner Woody Johnson has always hired a first-time GM and not a retread. Some potential candidates who fit that bill include Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby, Bills director of player personnel Terrance 
  Gray, Texans executive vice president of player personnel 
  James Liipfert, Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl, Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi, Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds.