Following a disappointing first season in New York, the Jets made the decision to part ways with offensive lineman Spencer Long on Feb. 5. Not only did New York rid itself of some dead weight on the line, but it also freed up some salary cap space.
Now that Long is off the books, the Jets will save $6.5 million in salary cap space. New York is now $99 million under the cap — with more cuts expected in the near-future.
The Jets have a glaring hole at center and will certainly use their savings from cutting Long to upgrade at the position. Some potential free agent options include Matt Paradis and Mitch Morse.
With Long off the books, the next important date for the Jets is March 15. On that day, half of Isaiah Crowell’s $4 million 2019 base salary becomes fully guaranteed. Crowell has a $5 million salary cap charge and by releasing him, New York would save $3 million.
Given Gang Green’s inevitable pursuit of Le’Veon Bell, Crowell will likely be let go. Even if the Jets miss on Bell or choose not to break the bank for him, fallback options such as Tevin Coleman and Lamar Miller will cost a decent amount. Right now, it’s looking like Crowell will be one and done in The Big Apple.
