FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — David Harris was just the latest veteran player shown the door in what has been an offseason purge by the New York Jets. ADVERTISING FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — David Harris was just the latest veteran player
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — David Harris was just the latest veteran player shown the door in what has been an offseason purge by the New York Jets.
Eric Decker will be the next to leave. And, there could be more to come.
On a dreary Tuesday that will be remembered by Jets fans for fond farewells to two of their favorites, Harris was released and Decker was told he will be traded or cut . The two moves will save the Jets $13.75 million in salary cap space.
“These are tough decisions to make on all of our players,” general manager Mike Maccagnan said. “Going forward, we have a situation where we have some flexibility now. We’ll see how that unfolds going forward.”
Harris and Decker join what has become a lengthy list of veterans who have been sent packing during the past few months. That includes cornerback Darrelle Revis, center Nick Mangold, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, kicker Nick Folk, offensive tackle Breno Giacomini and safety Marcus Gilchrist, who were cut; Calvin Pryor, who was traded last week to Cleveland; and quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith, who were allowed to become free agents.
Both Harris and Decker participated in practice during organized team activities on Tuesday. A few hours later, coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Harris had been cut.
Seahawks move on without Kaepernick
RENTON, Wash. — Doug Baldwin completely understood why the Seattle Seahawks brought Colin Kaepernick in for a visit.
He also understands why Austin Davis, and not Kaepernick, was signed as the latest backup quarterback option for the Seahawks.
“I think it’s simple. It’s the business of the NFL. Right now you have a lot of young guys that are looking for opportunities,” Baldwin said Tuesday as Seattle continued its second week of OTAs. “The organizations, they’re going to be giving the younger guys the first and second look. They know what Colin can do. They know he’s a starter in this league. They’re going to give every opportunity for the young guys to compete, show their talents, and then whatever falls he’ll get his opportunities once all this dust settles.”
For much of the offseason Seattle seemed the logical destination for Kaepernick — from its style of offense to the outspokenness of its locker room. But coach Pete Carroll didn’t commit to Kaepernick last week and the team signed Davis on Monday to compete with Trevone Boykin to back up Russell Wilson.
That left Kaepernick unemployed, for now. Baldwin, who was in regular communication with Kaepernick last season as the quarterback knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and the treatment of minorities, said he believes Kaepernick’s stance last season is likely playing a small role in his continued unemployment but it’s not the primary reason.
“To some degree, but I think that’s really minor,” Baldwin said. “There are 32 teams out there. Not all of them really care about that. I have no doubt in my mind he’ll have a job here rather quickly.”
Lynch comeback hastened by Raiders move
ALAMEDA, Calif. — For Marshawn Lynch, the decision to come out of retirement and resume his NFL career was made as soon as the league announced his hometown Raiders were leaving for Las Vegas.
Lynch wanted to give Oakland fans one last chance to cheer an Oakland native playing for an Oakland team.
“Maybe them staying probably wouldn’t have been so big for me to want to come and play,” he said Tuesday in his first news conference since joining the Raiders in April. “But knowing that they were leaving and a lot of the kids here probably won’t have an opportunity to see most of their idols growing up being a hometown no more. With me being from here, continuing to be here, it gives them an opportunity to get to see somebody that’s actually from where they’re from and for the team that they probably idolize.”
The NFL approved the Raiders’ proposed move to Las Vegas starting in the 2020 season on March 27. The following week, Lynch visited the Raiders to talk about the possibility of coming out of retirement.
That happened three weeks later when Seattle agreed to trade Lynch’s rights to Oakland in a deal that included a swap of late-round draft picks in 2018. Lynch agreed to a restructured $9 million, two-year deal that includes incentives that could increase the value even more.
Since joining the Raiders, Lynch has been a regular participant in the offseason program, unlike during his time in Seattle, and he generated buzz when coach Jack Del Rio posted a video Monday of Lynch running for a TD during practice.
“I think it’s a testament to Marshawn as a whole,” offensive coordinator Todd Downing said earlier this spring. “Yeah, he hadn’t really been an offseason attendee, but he showed it’s important to him to integrate himself, not only in the offense, but just in the locker room and with the coaching staff.”
Bills host Maclin for a visit
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With prompting from running back LeSean McCoy, free-agent receiver Jeremy Maclin is making the Buffalo Bills the first stop in his bid to land a new job.
The Bills announced they were hosting Maclin for a visit on Tuesday, four days after the seven-year veteran was released by the Kansas City Chiefs for salary-cap reasons. Maclin has twice topped 1,000 yards receiving, but is coming off a season in which he was slowed by injuries and had career lows with 44 catches, 536 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
McCoy revealed during his charitable softball tournament last weekend that he began lobbying for the Bills to sign Maclin. McCoy said it wouldn’t be a surprise if the receiver signed with Buffalo.
The two spent five seasons playing together in Philadelphia, and McCoy was a member of Maclin’s wedding party last month.
Maclin is also familiar with several members of Buffalo’s coaching staff, including first-time head coach Sean McDermott, who was the Eagles defensive coordinator in 2009-10.
Buffalo lacks experienced depth at receiver behind starter Sammy Watkins.
