Let's play connect the dots.

One of the key figures in the New York Jets' search team is consultant Charley Casserly, who, along with Ron Wolf, is advising owner Woody Johnson. Casserly's career is defined by two jobs -- he was the general manager of the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans.

One of the names on the Jets' list of GM candidates is Mike Maccagnan, the Texans' director of college scouting. He and Casserly are close. In fact, Casserly gave Maccagnan his entry into the NFL. He was a Redskins scout from 1994 to 1999, working under Casserly. When Casserly took over the Texans in 2000, he hired Maccagnan as a scout.

One of Maccagnan's first jobs out of college was working as the personnel director of the World League's London Monarchs in 1991. One of the players on the team was Doug Marrone, an offensive lineman. They became friends and have remained so.

On Wednesday, Marrone emerged as a serious candidate for the Jets' head-coaching vacancy. As we noted Wednesday night, Casserly is a Marrone fan.

This isn't that hard to figure out. It would hardly be a shock if the Jets' concurrent searches end with a Marrone-Maccagnan tandem.