New York Jets GM Search: Latest Rumors, Speculation Surrounding Vacant Position

After firing John Idzik on Dec. 29, the New York Jets hired former Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan on Tuesday to be the team's general manager. 

Continue for updates.

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Maccagnan Named GM

Tuesday, Jan. 13

The New York Jets have confirmed that Mike Maccagnan has been named the new GM:

Eric Allen of NewYorkJets.com passed along a quote from Maccagnan: 

Owner Woody Johnson also commented on the news, via Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday:

Maccagnan has already been working with the team to hire a new coach, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network:

On Sunday, Bob Glauber of Newsday reported Maccagnan's deal would be finalized this week.

Kristian Dyer of Metro New York reported Maccagnan's second interview with the Jets went extremely well. 

Maccagnan's name had shot up the Jets' list in recent days, and it was reported Thursday that he'd be getting a second interview. 

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Jets Complete Interview with Jon Robinson

Thursday, Jan. 8

Newsday's Kimberley A. Martin reported that the Jets' interview with Bucs director of player personnel Jon Robinson has been completed.

The team announced on Wednesday that it had scheduled an interview with Robinson for its vacant GM position.

Prior to joining Tampa Bay last season, Robinson spent 12 seasons with the New England Patriots in various scouting roles.   

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Ballard Turns Down Interview Request

Monday, Jan. 5

According to NFL Network's Albert Breer, Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard has reportedly turned down the Jets' interview request for their GM position.

Breer provided some perspective on Ballard's decision:

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Doug Marrone Reportedly Could Influence GM Hiring

Sunday, Jan. 4

CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported that Marrone, who is the favorite to be named the Jets' new head coach, could impact the hiring of the Jets' new general manager:

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The Jets general manager search just happens to be littered with candidates who have ties -- and in some cases very strong ones -- to Doug Marrone, who became a free agent last week when he exercised an out clause in Buffalo. The Jets are already deep into their GM search, and they met with Marrone on Saturday, with several league sources maintaining they are likely to be the first team to name a new coach this week.

Jets owner Woody Johnson is prepared to have the process wrapped up by the end of this week and quite possibly much sooner, with top general manager candidate Mike Maccagnan of the Texans interviewing on Monday. Maccagnan might have the closest ties of all to Marrone as the two men have become very close since their time together in the long defunct World League of American Football, with Maccagnan signing Marrone to be the quarterback of the London Monarchs back in 1991. Suffice to say, there would be an eagerness to work together again, and Maccagnan is very well thought of by Charley Casserly, who is one of the advisors to Johnson in the process and who hired Maccagnan in Washington and then brought him to Houston when Casserly was named general manager there.

Philadelphia personnel executive Rick Mueller, who will meet the Jets about their GM job, worked with Marrone for four years together in New Orleans and Browns personnel man Billy Kuharich was with the Saints when they signed Marrone as a player. Saints personnel executive Ryan Pace, another candidate for the Jets, was with Marrone when the coach was a member of Sean Payton's staff.

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La Canfora continued with more potential candidates to fill the GM role:

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The Jets have potential interviews pending as well with Chiefs executive Chris Ballard (who may have a better shot at the Bears job), and they interviewed Seattle executive Trent Kirchner already -- those men do not have the same sort of ties to Marrone.

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Jets Request Interviews with Pace, Ballard, Grier

Saturday, Jan. 3

Metro's Kristian Dyer provides an update on the Jets' pursuit of a new GM:

ESPN's Adam Schefter reveals more candidates:

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George Paton Wants to Remain With Vikings

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News provides an update on the Jets' GM search:

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Multiple Potential Candidates Linked to New York

Tuesday, Dec. 30

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets have added a new candidate to their list of targets:

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com added another name to the list:

Another name on the Jets' list of candidates is Eagles pro personnel director Rick Mueller, according to Dom Cosentino of NJ.com.

Cosentino also confirmed Bill Kuharich as one of the team's targets, via NJ.com:

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Bill Kuharich, a former general manager of the Saints and longtime NFL executive, is confirmed as another candidate for the post.

Kuharich, the son of the late Joe Kuharich, who was a head coach at Notre Dame and with the Philadelphia Eagles, held several different posts with the Saints from 1986-1999, eventually rising to earn the titles of president, general manager, and chief operation officer. He then spent nine years in the Chiefs' personnel department, first as the pro personnel director and later as the vice president for player personnel.

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Jets Fire Idzik, Begin Hunt for New GM

On the heels of firing John Idzik, the New York Jets have supposedly compiled an intriguing list of candidates to be their next general manager. 

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Jets are looking to speak with four front office people from outside the organization to potentially fill the vacancy:

The team has requested to interview Kirchner, according to ESPN's Adam Caplan:

In a statement released on NewYorkJets.com Monday, Jets owner Woody Johnson announced the firing of both Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan.

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After extensive thought and reflection about the current state of our football team, this morning I informed Rex Ryan and John Idzik that they will not be returning for the 2015 season. Both Rex and John made significant contributions to the team, and they have my appreciation and gratitude for their efforts and commitment.

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According to Rapoport, Idzik's termination was essentially inevitable after a bizarre midseason press conference:

With the Jets finishing just 4-12 and missing the playoffs yet again, however, there wasn't much Idzik could have done to save his job.

Per Jane McManus of ESPNNewYork.com, Johnson will receive help from some highly respected football men as he searches for a new GM:

The Jets are a mess right now on paper, especially at the quarterback position, but there are some decent pieces in place.

New York has the potential to be very good defensively, while offensive weapons like Eric Decker, Percy Harvin, Chris Ivory, Chris Johnson and Jace Amaro would be that much better with a solid option under center.

Finding a long-term solution at that position may be priority No. 1 for the Jets this offseason, and they could very well decide on a new general manager based on their philosophy surrounding that very issue.

Idzik seemingly swung and missed on both Geno Smith and Michael Vick during his tenure, and the next GM can't afford to do the same.

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