Jets cut third-round pick Jachai Polite after firing GM who drafted him
Usually, third-round selections in the NFL draft are pretty safe in terms of making the team’s roster.
Except if that team is the New York Jets.
In what can only be politely described as a comedy of errors, the Jets drafted Florida pass rusher Jachai Polite in the third round despite him turning in a disastrous combine. They then fired GM Mike Maccagnan in May and brought in Joe Douglas the following month, meaning that Douglas was strapped with all of Maccagnan’s draft picks.
When it came time for NFL cut day, that meant we got to see how much the two executives differed. And Douglas obviously did not agree with the selection of Polite, cutting him on Saturday, according to multiple reports.
The #Jets are cutting 3rd-round pick Jachai Polite, source said. The GM who drafted him is gone and now so is a young pass rusher. (@MMehtaNYDN 1st)
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2019
Jets took a gamble
The Jets ignored the warning signs that flared at the combine, despite Polite being projected to go in the first round.
His 4.84-second 40-yard dash was third worst among edge rushers and he pulled out of some drills due to a questionable hamstring injury. He also aired out publicly the questions he was asked in interviews with the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers.
The full exchange with Florida's Jachai Polite when he was asked about his meeting with the #Packers. pic.twitter.com/OD49VbAx8x
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) March 3, 2019
If there was any optimism that Polite might turn a page in the NFL, it was quickly erased by his preseason performance, which proved that he would be more of a project than the Jets would have liked.
But there is talent in the 21-year-old. Polite did not record 15.5 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss in college by accident. He’ll probably find another team, and the Jets need to move on from what was a bad call by the previous regime.
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