New York Jets allow three defensive players to become free agents
Wednesday 20 February 2019 11:24, UK
The New York Jets have released nose tackle Mike Pennel, linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis and safety Terrence Brooks, they announced on Tuesday.
The decision to decline their contract options created around $5.5m in salary-cap space leaving the Jets with a little more than $100m under the cap as the league heads into free agency.
It is understood the three defensive players did not fit into new defensive coordinators Gregg Williams' plans for the 2019 season.
On Tuesday, the Jets had a deadline to pay a $1m bonus to Pennel, 27, who signed a three-year contract last March, but had the team paid the bonus then the final two years of his contract would have been activated.
Pennel played with the Green Bay Packers for three seasons before joining the Jets in 2017, playing 32 games and recorded 62 tackles in two seasons with New York.
It was a hard second season for Brooks at the MetLife Stadium as he saw limited action in the secondary but he did, however, feature regularly on the special teams.
Had he remained on their roster, the Jets would have had a $2.1m salary cap hit.
Drafted as a third-round pick in 2014 by the Baltimore Ravens, Brooks played there for two seasons before playing one with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Meanwhile, Pierre-Louis, 27, only played in nine games last season, recording seven tackles and one forced fumble.
He missed the 2018 season opener when he was suspended for violating the NFL's policy against substances of abuse, and he landed on injured reserve ahead of the season finale due to a shoulder ailment.
A fourth-round draft pick of the Seahawks in 2014, Pierre-Louis played 34 games [one start] for Seattle before appearing in 14 games as a reserve for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. He has 91 career tackles and one sack.
With veteran defensive tackle Steve McLendon also a free agent, the Jets now are thin at the position - with just Leonard Williams, Nathan Shepherd and Foley Fatukas.
All three will become free agents on March 13 when the NFL signing period begins. The NFL draft will be held from April 25-27 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sky Sports coverage of the NFL will continue through the off-season as we track the player moves and the storylines in the build-up to the 100th year of the NFL - and we will have all three days of the NFL Draft covered in April.
