The Jets called an aggressive audible by trading up to the No. 3 pick last month to assure themselves of getting one of the top quarterbacks available in the NFL draft.
Now comes the toughest play call of all.
Sam Darnold? Baker Mayfield? Josh Rosen? Josh Allen?
"You just want to get it right
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And, the pressure is certainly on.
After all, this is a team that has been starving for a franchise quarterback since the days of Broadway Joe. The likes of Richard Todd, Ken O'Brien, Chad Pennington and Mark Sanchez had some good moments as homegrown QBs, but none had the type of impact or sustained success of Joe Namath.
Since Namath's last game with the Jets in 1976, the team has had 30 players make at least one start under center. On Thursday night, New York has the opportunity to add a quarterback who might stop the revolving door.
That's why the Jets were willing to deal the No. 6 overall pick to Indianapolis along with two second-round selections this year and a second-rounder next year to move up three spots.
"It's all about opportunity," Maccagnan said. "We felt good about where we were originally picking and then we made the trade and moved ourselves to position ourselves, in our mind, to be in a position to have a good option and a good choice with that spot."
New York's ultimate decision, however, will be contingent upon what Cleveland 鈥?which also needs a quarterback 鈥?does at No. 1 overall, and if the Giants stay put at No. 2 and pick a successor to Eli Manning or target another position.
That dynamic at the top of the draft, along with the lack of a consensus order among the top QBs, has created lots of intrigue and made mock drafts an always-changing mix-and-match mess.
"When they made that move (the trade), that was before the owners' meeting, which is very unusual
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"That led me to believe that he and his staff were ready to roll in terms of these quarterbacks in the middle of March, regardless of which one winds up at No. 3."
Maccagnan wouldn't tip his hand on how the Jets are leaning 鈥?and wouldn't even acknowledge that quarterback will be the way they'll go with their first pick.
But it seems clear that either USC's Darnold, Oklahoma's Mayfield, UCLA's Rosen or Wyoming's Allen will be wearing green and white sometime Thursday night.
"I know everybody seems to be locked in on that, I don't know why," a smiling Maccagnan said of the QB-to-Jets speculation. "We actually may take a safety this year. ... I think like everything else, the quarterback is such an important position that it's always going to be a focal point of that this may be a position of interest, especially for us.
"But, yeah, we'll see how it plays itself out."
CROWDED QB ROOM
Once the Jets make their selection, they'll have five quarterbacks on their roster. They re-signed Josh McCown, the starter last year, in the offseason; signed Teddy Bridgewater, who's still coming back from a severe knee injury nearly two years ago; and have holdovers Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg.
Petty was a fourth-rounder in 2015, while Hackenberg went in the second round in 2016. Both players' spots on the roster are tenuous, at best.
BUSY OFFSEASON
Maccagnan went into free agency armed with about $90 million in salary cap space and he certainly made use of it while revamping the Jets' roster.
New York signed 16 players in free agency, including cornerback Trumaine Johnson (five years
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The Jets also re-signed seven of their unrestricted free agents, including McCown (one year, $10 million), cornerback Morris Claiborne (one year, $7 million) and defensive lineman Mike Pennel (three years, $12 million).
MOVES TO MAKE
New York doesn't have a second-round selection this year, but has one pick in each of the five remaining rounds.
A pass-rushing outside linebacker or defensive end could be near the top of the draft board, particularly after cutting Muhammad Wilkerson.
Depth on both the defensive and offensive lines figure to be targets for New York in the later rounds, as well as possibly tight end, running back and cornerback.
HITS, MISSES AND BARGAINS
The Jets considered themselves fortunate when defensive end Leonard Williams fell to them at No. 6 in 2015, and again two years later when they landed safety Jamal Adams at the same spot. Both are considered cornerstone players for New York's defense, as is safety Marcus Maye
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The top of the draft hasn't been as kind in recent years, though. Oft-injured cornerback Dee Milliner, No. 9 overall in 2013, is considered one of the franchise's biggest busts. Safety Calvin Pryor, the Jets' top pick in 2014, also never panned out. New York had 12 picks that year and only two remain on the roster: offensive lineman Dakota Dozier and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, a sixth-rounder who has become a solid contributor.
The checklist for the Nashville Predators is getting shorter as the regular season winds down.
Kyle Turris scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the Predators over the Minnesota Wild 2-1 Tuesday night to snap a three-game skid.
The win clinched the defending Western Conference champions home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. The franchise’s first Central Division title also is in reach, with Nashville leading Winnipeg by five points for both the top seed in the West and in the division with six games remaining apiece. Nashville wrapped up its division schedule by going 18-5-3.
”We took another step closer tonight to achieving that goal and keep on getting wins, and finish as high as we can,” Predators forward Scott Hartnell said. ”It’s just been great efforts the whole year long, and especially tonight a big effort by everybody.”
Nashville also moved three points ahead of Tampa Bay in the chase for the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The Predators visit Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Roman Josi scored for Nashville, and Pekka Rinne made 22 saves.
Rinne turned away Nino Niederreiter in the shootout. Zach Parise’s attempt went wide left, and Rinne stopped Mikko Koivu to clinch it.
”I thought it was our best game for a while now,” Josi said. ”I thought we played really well. I thought we played really well defensively, they didn’t have too many chances, and (Rinne) was there for us whenever they did have a chance. I thought it was a complete effort from us, and it’s good to be back in the win column.”
Eric Staal tied it for Minnesota with 3:15 left on his 40th goal this season.
Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves as Minnesota snapped a five-game point streak. The Wild still won the season series against Nashville, 3-2.
”It was a great point
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The Predators thought they had scored 40 seconds into overtime on a slap shot by Ryan Ellis. Minnesota challenged for offside, and the goal was overturned on review because Turris’ right skate was a few inches ahead of the puck past the blue line.
”I was right on the line on the bench and I figured it might be offside, but great job of still getting it done after,” Josi said of the erased goal.
Rinne stopped Staal twice in overtime, and Mikael Granlund hit the far post with 1:07 left.
Turris shot first for Nashville in the shootout, and he skated up before going across the slot and beating Dubnyk stick-side .
Nashville returned home for three games mired in a skid that matched its longest this season. Playing in front of the 99th consecutive sold-out crowd didn’t hurt as the Predators improved to 26-8-4 in the place known as Smashville.
The Predators came out throwing pucks at Dubnyk, and Josi put Nashville up 1-0 with a slap shot from the point off the faceoff that went under Dubnyk’s glove 2:51 into the game.
Jordan Greenway made his NHL debut after finishing his college career at Boston University and signing a three-year entry level deal with Minnesota. Greenway was welcomed by a big check from Hartnell midway through the first period.
”This is a tough game … for a young man’s career, but I thought he handled it well,” Boudreau said of Greenway.
Nashville missed plenty of chances to pad its lead, going scoreless on four man advantages through the first two periods.
Staal tied it by beating Rinne’s left skate inside the post.
NOTES: Staal joined Gordie Howe as the only players to go at least nine years between 40-goal seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Howe went 12 seasons between his 44 goals in 1956-57 and 44 goals in 1968-69. Staal scored 40 in 2008-09, and this is his third 40-goal season. … Nashville won its most divisional games since also winning 18 in 2007-08. … Turris now has six goals on 13 shots in the shootout this season.
UP NEXT
Wild: Host Dallas on Thursday night.
Predators: Host Sharks on Thursday night.
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