Adam Gase got his man.
The Jets are hiring Eagles executive Joe Douglas to be their general manager, the team announced Friday night. He replaces Mike Maccagnan, who the Jets fired on May 15 in a stunning move.
When Maccagnan was let go just weeks after the draft, Jets chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson appointed Gase the acting general manager and said he would "assist" in hiring the new GM. Gase and Douglas worked together previously for one season with the Bears.
Douglas was considered the frontrunner for the job from the beginning. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the deal was for six years.
He has spent the past three years as the Eagles director of player personnel. Douglas was Eagles general manager Howie Roseman's right-hand man, and helped assemble the roster that won the Super Bowl two years ago.
Douglas, who was viewed by many as a GM-in-waiting, was a part of another Super Bowl-winning team before his move to Philadelphia.
He spent 16 years in the Ravens organization, including 13 as a scout. Douglas was instrumental in Baltimore drafting quarterback Joe Flacco in 2008. Flacco led the Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XLVII and was named MVP.
Douglas also had a hand in Baltimore drafting or acquiring guards Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda, kicker Justin Tucker, linebacker C.J. Mosley, who signed with the Jets in March, and cornerback LaDarius Webb. Mosley, Tucker, Yanda and Grubbs made the Pro Bowl with the Ravens.
Gase said it wasn't a prerequisite that he had a previous relationship with the GM. But it was widely believed that Gase, who had differences with Maccagnan, would want someone that he's comfortable with and has worked with in the past.
The Jets also interviewed Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly, who worked with Gase in Denver and Chicago, Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer and Saints director of pro scouting Terry Fontenot. They reportedly spoke to all four candidates again this week.
Gase has quickly garnered power in the Jets organization. He was hired in January to be the head coach, and now Gase helped hand-pick the new general manager.
He and Douglas worked together in 2015. Gase was the Bears offensive coordinator and Douglas the director or college scouting.
Although Gase and Douglas will both report to Johnson, it's important for the health of the team and the franchise if the coach and general manager are on the same page and get along well.
Gase is known to have a strong personality. Maccagnan's indecisiveness reportedly was an issue. Also, Gase and Maccagnan did not see eye-to-eye on some personnel decisions, and there were rumblings before and during the draft about a rift between the two of them.
Both men did their best to deny it, but all signs pointed to Gase winning a power struggle with Maccagnan. Johnson rejected that notion.
Johnson said he decided the Jets needed a new general manager after "diving deep into the organization" and sitting in on more meetings and pre-draft interviews. But he did admit the synergy between Gase and Maccagnan "was not everything I was hoping for."
Some of their disagreements, reportedly, centered around Le'Veon Bell.
There have been varying reports that Gase didn't want Bell, while others contend he thought Maccagnan gave the dynamic Pro Bowl back too much money.
Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million deal. Gase reportedly wanted Maccagnan to pursue center Matt Paradis more aggressively. He signed a three-year, $27 million deal with Carolina.
Gase has done his best to downplay any rumors or reports that he was unhappy with the Bell signing. Bell said he didn't "buy into reports" and that he and Gase have a good relationship. After missing OTAs, Bell attended the Jets mandatory mini camp and he and Gase were seen laughing and exchanged a hug.
It will be interesting to see what Douglas does with the roster that Maccagnan assembled. But Douglas has a relationship with Gase, a good track record and has been around some winning programs. That could bode well for the Jets.
