LINK. Why are we releasing him? The guy is easily our second best receiver by a wide margin. We have his rights. Heck, we need 3 receivers right now with GW WR1 and Lazard WR5. Even if we get someone else, Corey would be a huge addition. Is JD trying to play chess again like he did with Broderick Jones and Huff?
What was the money at on him if we didn't release him? I know you ain't gonna want hear this and will probably immediately label such as conspiracy theory.....but co-GM Rodgers not wanting him in the 2024 picture seems like the most plausible behind-the-scenes explanation for a release here imo if the money would of looked good for us. That or there was some beef with the FO over that retirement that inexplicably didn't leak like everything else did last year.
I'm saying if one is to reasonably speculate here that seems like one of the most plausible explanations on how this release might make any sense here if the money looked good (which i don't know if it did). Since I think it's a safe bet by now Arod has a pretty strong say in how he envisions his WR room to shape up in 2024. That or it had to be beef over the retirement issue that you'd think would of leaked with all the other internal drama stories last year. I don't like defaulting to "OMG JOE D IS JUST A CLUELESS MORON OF A GM THAT CAN"T SEE WE COULD USE A WR RIGHT NOW!! FIRE HIM!!!" The real answer is rarely that a guy can't look up into the sky and see blue.
I think he had 10 mil left to be paid last year. I am not sure what that means for current year, but I do know we have his rights. Presumably we could have kept him at that #, released him later, or renegotiated. Or if he wants to sign with someone else, they would have to give us some comp, like what TB did with Gronk. As far as AR not liking Davis, pure speculation on your part. Also, it looks like this year JD does things his own way anyway. This is classic JD now. Bargain basement shopping, a few solid moves (got back-up QB, 2 average OL players) and a monumental fuck up (letting Huff go). Now giving away Davis.
It's pure speculation by me for sure, but it's worthwhile speculation that should be made if your ballpark figure is right. Corey Davis coming back and being added back into cap considerations is going to realistically close some possibility doors. For example - a potential signing of a guy like MVS which Rodgers might prefer. Or basically this stuff doesn't happen in a vacuum. Like my first thought at seeing this wasn't even WR. It was "is this taking away from the Tyron Smith fund? " lol
I think the release probably has to do with money owed. They would probably be on the hook for the full 10 mil past a certain date, maybe they are trying to get him for less guaranteed (but 10 mil doesn't seem bad given the current market). I just saw a story that they are trying to trade Lazard, which would be suggestive of them keeping Davis.
I'm pretty sure the Jets are releasing him for the opportunity to negotiate a new contract, especially with the news that they're shopping Lazard.
Davis may have said to the Jets that he wanted to play again, but not for them, not with Hackett as the OC or maybe Rodgers didn't want Davis back.
I think Davis is seeing the money being thrown at WRs and wants a nice chunk for himself. Probably more than we want to pay.
Gronk didn't want to play for NE either. They got some value for him. I don't get it, NC. I also think it is far fetched that he would refuse to honor his contract or Rodgers didn't want him. More like JD didn't want to pay 10 mil.
Bizarre dumb move by the Jets. Send him out there to find a trade or suit up for us. Releasing him, especially this early in the league year, is just dumb.
I just don't get it. We can always release him later if we find someone better. It's classic JD: makes a couple of decent moves, and then some back breaking dumb mistakes. This off-season so far is a microcosm of his entire stay as a GM of the Jets.
