New York Jets cut cornerback Antonio Cromartie
Tuesday 23 February 2016 13:18, UK
The New York Jets have released cornerback Antonio Cromartie in a cost-cutting move that will save the team $8m (£5.7m) in salary cap space.
The decision on Monday marks the second time in three years that the Jets have cut Cromartie, who was re-signed last off-season after a year in Arizona.
Cromartie was in the second year of a four-year, $32m (£22.7m) contract he signed last off-season but his 2016 salary was not guaranteed, allowing the Jets to knock $8m off their salary cap.
"I would like to [thank] the Jets organization for bringing me back this past season," Cromartie wrote on Instagram.
"I had a lot of fun and I know my first [half] of the season didn't go well and I thank you guys for pushing and believing in me to keep me on the field so I could finish strong. Today is a sad day for me not because of my release but the guys I became really close [to] in our DB room."
Cromartie was a headline signing in the Jets' spending spree last off-season as he returned to New York along with fellow cornerback Darrelle Revis.
The duo formed a dynamic pairing in their first stint together for the Jets (2010 to 2012) but struggled to recreate that form in 2015 with Cromartie in particular struggling at times during the season.
According to Pro Football Focus, he gave up a team-high seven touchdown passes and had no interceptions for the first time since his rookie season in 2006 with San Diego. Cromartie, who will turn 32 in April, admitted midway through the season he was not playing as he had hoped.
The move to release Cromartie frees up the cap space the Jets will need if they are to apply the franchise tag to Pro Bowl defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson as expected.
Before releasing Cromartie, the Jets projected to have around $13m (£9.2m) in cap space and franchising Wilkerson is expected to cost around $13.5m (£9.6m).
Cromartie's departure will allow a younger player to assume a greater role with Marcus Williams, who led the team with six interceptions, or Dee Milliner, a 2013 first-rounder who has been beset by injuries, expected to compete for snaps alongside Revis and Buster Skrine.
