Nov. 22, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott (57) reacts after a tackle against the New England Patriots during the first half on Thanksgiving at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Bart Scott was a top free agent pick-up a few years ago.  He was the best interior linebacker on the market after stellar seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.  He was also part of the New York Jets spending spree by newly hired loudmouth Rex Ryan.  Today, Scott along with four others are gone as of today.

Scott joins LB Calvin Pace, TE Josh Baker, Safety Eric Smith, and Tackle Jason Smith.  Scott was a leader on the NY Jets defense but the Jets are in salary cap hell.  The NFL’s cap is reportedly going to jump a mere 1.4 million dollars over last year.

The Jets have been free spending since Ryan arrived.  Putting high-dollar amounts on good to very good players.  Despite the talent, the Jets could not make the big game.  In Rex Ryan’s first two seasons, the Jets made the AFC Championship game but failed to get the team the needed victory.

Ryan is reportedly on his final season without a major turnaround.  GM Mike Tannebaum was fired at seasons end.  Of the five former Jets, only TE Josh Baker is subject to the waiver rules.  The other four are unrestricted free agents and can sign with another team at any time.

The Jets will still need to make roster cuts in order to get beneath the March 12th start of the league new year and have money left to fill vacancies.  Two weeks ago, the Buffalo Bills began purging their roster as well.

Jan 8, 2013; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets owner Woody Johnson (right) and head coach Rex Ryan (left) review the 2012 season and address changes for 2013 at the New York Jets Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

The New York Jets have always been the ugly stepchild of New York football.  The viral draft video that shows the amazed and deprived fans faces as each player was called out by the Commissioner.  An entire sports blog named after Joe Namath’s drunken attempt to kiss Suzie Kolber during a sideline interview.  Of course the Rex Ryan foot fetish and the tattoo of his wife wearing a Mark Sanchez jersey.  Is it any wonder they can’t find a GM?  And you thought the Dolphins had issues.

Now word is coming down the Jets are turning to AFC East foe cast-offs to fill their vacant OC position.  The one that was formerly held by former Miami Dolphins HC Tony Sparano.  The Jets have spoken to former Phins OC Cam Cameron who was fired by Miami and then fired mid-season by the Ravens.  Oh, and the Ravens are in the playoffs.  What exactly does that say about Cameron?

The latest mention is former Dolphins TE coach David Lee.  David Lee was the one who brought the “WildCat” to Miami.  He also was a hire of Tony Sparano.  I didn’t know fired coaches had a “coaching tree”.  Lee also worked with the Buffalo Bills.  He would join the Jets as their new QB coach.  Because of course he did a phenomenal job with Pat White and Chad Henne.

The good news is of course that this couldn’t happen to a better team.

The NFL annually posts it’s head coaching vacancies in, oh, about 2 days.  This year the end of the NFL regular season comes one day before the end of the calendar season…or year.  Sometime after today, the NFL will begin posting their coaching vacancies and while the Miami Dolphins will not go looking for a new HC this off-season or for that matter a coordinator, the changes around the NFL will have implications for the Dolphins as well.

Consider that in New York, the Jets may part ways with Rex Ryan.  At the very least it appears that the teams DC will be gone, Mike Westoff the special teams coach is retiring, and it is a foregone conclusion that Tony Sparano will be fired as well.  Add in GM Mike Tannenbaum and the changes in NY could set the team back another year or two…to say nothing about the personnel changes on the field.

A couple of weeks ago it appeared that the Buffalo Bills would make some changes to their coaching staff but Chan Gailey appeared at the time to be safe.  Not anymore.  According to word out of Buffalo an entire organizational overhaul could happen in the next week.  Dave Wannstedt…gone, Chan Gailey…Gone, GM Buddy Nix…Gone.  Along with everyone else including QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.  After 13 years without a playoff birth, the longest currently in the NFL, a 14th season is likely.

Outside of the AFC East more changes are expected.

Philadelphia is expected to part ways with Andy Reid.  Mike Holmgren in Cleveland has already stepped down effective at the end of the season.  It’s possible that the head coach, Pat Shurmur could follow.  In San Diego Norv Turner is out the door and the teams GM may be following closely behind.  Skip back to the east and Ron Rivera may be out in Carolina two years after taking over the team.  The Panthers have already started firing coordinators and coaches a few weeks ago.

Arizona could lose Ken Whisenhunt after another horrible season with the Cardinals.  In Kansas City it appears that GM Scott Pioli will return and that may be good news for HC Romeo Crennell.  Crennell has done nothing with his head coaching career in both Kansas City and Cleveland.

All told, 7 teams could lose their head coaches this off-season and another three teams could lose their general managers.  It’s a rough world, the business of the NFL.  Most of these head coaches will land another gig as a teams offensive or defensive coordinator.  Miami isn’t in the market for coordinators so I wouldn’t expect any of the free agent coaches to land in south Florida.

Regardless of what happens, the AFC East next season will have some new faces on the other side of the field.  As most Dolphins fans will attest, it will be much nicer when that new face across the field is on the team the Dolphins face today.  The New England Patriots.