The Jets embarked in earnest yesterday on what promises to be a tumultuous offseason, sending strong signals that the rebuilding under new coach Eric Mangini will be even more widespread than anticipated. The team will begin casting off high-priced veterans, particularly on offense, later this week, starting with tackle Jason Fabini and fullback Jerald Sowell. Guard Pete Kendall also is expected to be released in a massive salary-cap purge, but the most surprising victim could be six-time Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae. Two people with knowledge of the Jets' strategy said the team is open to exploring trade possibilities for Mawae, who is coming off triceps surgery and is due to count $4.5 million on the cap Trading Mawae? Several people familiar with the Jets' thinking said the team has pulled back on its earlier pursuit of a veteran quarterback who would require a multiyear commitment and instead is focusing on drafting a quarterback in the first round. The belief in league circles is that Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum are targeting Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler with the fourth overall pick Such a move would coincide with signing a second-tier veteran -- Aaron Brooks, Jon Kitna, Brian Griese and Sage Rosenfels are possibilities -- and almost certainly would spell the end of Pennington's career as a Jet. It's one of numerous scenarios the team is contemplating "The only reason you don't cut Pennington is because you can't afford to," one of the people familiar with the Jets' plan said. "If you're going to draft Cutler, the Chad Pennington era is over." The Jets currently are more than $25 million over the cap but easily could recoup close to $30 million in cap space by gutting the offensive line, releasing cornerback Ty Law and reworking contracts for receiver Laveranues Coles, running back Curtis Martin, defensive end Shaun Ellis and defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, among others. They're trying to keep all their options open, having engaged in discussions about acquiring Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey, for example. And while it's too early to write off Pennington, who ultimately might instruct his agent, Tom Condon, to stop playing hardball, it's difficult to imagine him attempting a comeback behind an offensive line that doesn't include Mawae, Fabini and Kendall http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ny-spjside0222,0,999335.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines
The Jets are now 34M over the cap since Abraham has been franchised. If you factor in the rumored Sowell and Fabini cuts, they are 30.4M over.
Fabini is a waste anyway. BJ Askew is ready to start as FB too. I still think the future looks bright, these cuts shouldn't be surprising.
Yeah, but Abe is either going to sign longterm (thus lowering his cap #) or will be traded thus wiping out all of the money... You knew that though so I have no idea why I just posted that lol
Most of that $8.3 mil that comes from dealing Abraham will be gobbled up quite quickly with the price of signing rookie picks along with the cost of signing a cheap veteran QB.
The fact that you are still giddy for 2006 after we are cutting a starting QB, starting RT, Starting LG, Starting Center, Starting FB, Starting CB and plenty more to come...proves you are crazy slow.
I realize that. We still have MANY more cuts and restructuring to go. We will have enough room to get our rooks under contract. People I think will be GONE... Chad Pennington Kevin Mawae Pete Kendall Jason Fabini Jerald Sewell Ty Law John Abraham Jay Fiedler People I think that will take pay cuts or restructure... Laveranues Coles Dewayne Robertson Curtis Martin Shaun Ellis Wow...thats crazy just looking at it.
Yeah that's certainly true. Which is why I see an Abraham trade or an agreement to a longterm contract happening REAL soon...A trade could be in the process now and especially during the combine.
