NFL Notes: Jets, Packers, Patriots, Redskins

Jets

Rich Cimini of ESPN writes that there’s clearly a difference of opinion between Jets GM Mike Maccagnan and HC Todd Bowles when it comes to QB Christian Hackenberg.

After the season, Maccagnan said Hackenberg will “get the opportunity to go perform on the field. I think we kind of have a feel for him internally, but he’ll get his opportunities going forward.”

However, Bowles appear to have no intention of giving Hackenberg an opportunity to play.

Cimini says that while Hackenberg isn’t the kind of player that would likely create an issue within the team, it’s possible this difference of opinion could lead to a “mini-disagreement.”

Packers

• Ian Rapoport reports that Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta declined a request from the Packers Saturday night to interview for their GM position.
• The Packers have hired Brian Gutekunst as their new GM. (NFLTR)
• A source tells Rob Demovsky that Packers HC Mike McCarthy is comfortable working with Gutekunst.
• According to Rapoport, Russ Ball continues in his current role.
• Tom Pelissero mentions that if Packers executive Eliot Wolf, who interviewed for the GM job, ends up being available, he will likely be in high demand for positions with other teams.
• Regarding Wolf, Mike Garafolo says: “Wouldn’t be shocked to see him land elsewhere, even if not immediate.”
• Tom Silverstein mentions that the likelihood of Wolf sticking around to serve under Gutekunst “doesn’t appear very good.” However, a source tells Silverstein that Murphy and Gutekunst want Wolf to stay and will try to convince him not to leave for another job.
• If Wolf does, in fact, move on, Silverstein mentions that Ball could end up being the team’s assistant GM, which would be a promotion and likely come with a big raise.

Patriots

• Mike Reiss of ESPN mentions that the last time the Patriots dealt with the Browns (when they agreed to trade LB Jamie Collins), it was an “arduous process that was the antithesis of other deals the Patriots had made that came together quickly.”
• According to Reiss, the trust and confidence level the Patriots have in the other team seeing it through is part of their consideration.
• With this in mind, Reiss believes this was one of the reasons why New England didn’t call the Browns about a trade for QB Jimmy Garoppolo along with the fact that they wanted to move him out of the AFC and the relationship Bill Belichick had with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.

Redskins

• Rich Tandler of NBC Washington writes that the new extension handed out by the Redskins to CB Quinton Dunbar “wasn’t the beginning of the end of Bashaud Breeland’s time in Washington, it was the end of the end.”
• According to Tandler, Zach Brown‘s future with the Redskins is hard to figure out right now. Tandler says that Washington would like to have him back, but they have no intention of overpaying him to do so. One thing to consider with Brown, according to Tandler, is that this very well may be his final year to cash in on the open market, so could be looking to maximize his salary.
• We have both players featured in our Top 100  – 2018 NFL Free Agents list.