Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Next step for Jets' finances
By Tom Carpenter
The New York Jets got themselves under the salary cap Tuesday by purging about $31 million in contracts. Now the really tough part of the offseason begins for new general manager John Idzik. ESPNNewYork.com's Rich Cimini thinks Idzik will discuss reworking contracts with the likes of LB David Harris (team-high $13 million cap charge), WR Santonio Holmes ($12.5 million), CB Antonio Cromartie ($10.8 million), LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson ($10.7 million) and NT Sione Po'uha ($6.2 million) before addressing their dozen unrestricted free agents.
"They appear to be most interested in retaining DT Mike DeVito, TE Dustin Keller and perhaps S LaRon Landry, depending on his price," noted Cimini. "They also have to make a decision on two key restricted free agents, RT Austin Howard and TE Jeff Cumberland. They have to decide which tender to give Howard -- first-round ($2.9 million) or second-round ($2 million)."
Their quarterback situation likely will remain a thorn in their side, no matter what. Cimini expects the Jets to shop Tim Tebow during the combine this weekend, but eventually we should expect him to be released. As for Mark Sanchez, Cimini thinks that restructuring his contract isn't a great idea because "it doesn't make sense to push his money into future years, considering his tenuous position on the team. They can make a relatively clean break from him after 2013 if they keep his contract as is."
