New York Jets: Mike Maccagnan drops not so subtle hints on Darron Lee
At the annual NFL Owners meetings, New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan stayed out of the Darron Lee discussion, or did he?
The NFL Owners Meetings are not just for changing the rules. They are also a time where we get sort of a state of the team address from both the head coach and general manager. Of course this was true for the New York Jets.
One player that is on the lips of most fans again, or still, is Darron Lee. He showed improvements in 2018 but has still not lived up to the expectations of a first round draft choice. Add that to his four game drug suspension last year and everyone is basically over him.
That discussion has accelerated with the signing of C.J. Mosley. He is a far more talented player than Lee and he is an inside linebacker. Coincidentally, that is where Lee has been used.
So what is going to happen to Lee? Everyone wants to know.
When Maccagnan was asked about Lee, he stayed out of it, sort of. You be the judge.
On the one hand, he said he has wouldn’t comment as to whether or Lee was being shopped around. OK, that’s fine.
However, in another breath, Maccagnan also said the following:
"“Quite frankly Darron’s contract is not a very big contract – I think it’s only about $1.7 or $1.8 million,” Maccagnan said. “So it just gives us a lot of pieces there right now and we’ll figure it out as we go forward.”"
If you really think about it, that is a little hint as to what he may be thinking about Lee.
Sure, on its face he is just mentioning Lee’s cost and why the Jets can afford to keep him around. But look at it another way.
He also could be dropping hints to other general managers. He is telling them that if they are thinking about giving Lee a shot they don’t have to spend very much in 2019.
It’s a very adept way at sounding like you are happy but actually looking to move on. He is toying with the media a bit, saying he doesn’t want to talk about it, then, talking about it. To me, it’s clear that he wants to move on from Darron Lee.
Next. Profile of Q. dark
The question is how much the Jets can get back in return for Lee. It’s hard to imagine them getting anything better than a fifth round pick.
I don’t know if that’s worth it. Is Lee, even as a rotational linebacker, better than the unknown for a year?
Probably, but that doesn’t mean Maccagnan feels that way.
What say you, Jets fans?