Decker and Harris part of veteran purge
Hours after Todd Bowles announced Tuesday the release of veteran inside linebacker David Harris — who’s played all 10 of his NFL seasons with Gang Green — Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said wide receiver Eric Decker is also on his way out. The Jets will try to trade Decker, according to Maccagnan.
“If we can’t facilitate a trade,” Maccagnan said, “we will move on from Eric.”
Harris and Decker are just the latest veterans to receive the axe from Jets brass. WR Brandon Marshall, C Nick Mangold, OT Breno Giacomini, K Nick Folk and CB Darrelle Revis were all released earlier this spring. The Jets also declined to pick up OT Ryan Clady’s option.
With Decker and Harris’ ousting, the Jets possess four players over the age of 30. One is long snapper Tanner Purdum. Another is quarterback Josh McCown, who remains in a three-way competition with Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg for the starting QB job.
Both Harris and Decker participated in Tuesday’s OTA before learning of their fates later in the day. Todd Bowles said Harris’ team and Jets management were negotiating a restructuring of the linebacker’s contract. But “talks broke down.”
“It was an organizational decision,” Bowles said. “They were talking about a salary reduction, and they didn’t come to an agreement. We didn’t come to an agreement. And eventually, it led to this. It wasn’t an easy time. David has been a Jet all his life. He was born and bled green. Obviously he’s a guy that was very well liked in the building (by) management, coaches and players alike.”
Maccagnan and the Jets organization drew the ire of Harris’ agents, largely because they waited until June to cut their client. The NFL free agency period began March 9. Marshall, Folk, Mangold, Giacomini and Revis were all cut before that date.
“Very disappointing in the timing of this event and the decision,” Harris’ agent, Brian Mackler, said in a statement to the Daily News. “The Jets could have done this prior to free agency instead of waiting three months, especially for a player who has exhibited nothing but loyalty and class for 10 years.”
When asked why the Jets waited until June to cut Harris, Bowles said, “That’s a good question.”
“I wasn’t in those meetings. It happened abruptly, obviously,” Bowles said. “I guess there was a gap there, and it must have broke down.”
Harris has no guaranteed money remaining on his contract, which runs through the 2017 season. So by cutting Harris, the Jets save all $6.5 million remaining on his deal with no dead cap hits — though the team was under the cap to begin with before Tuesday’s announcement.
The Jets will save $5.75 million if they cut Decker. Right now, that seems like the likeliest scenario.
After Marshall was released in early March, the Daily News reported that Decker could also be cut this offseason.
“We’ll do everything in our power to be competitive,” Maccagnan said. “That’s the business we’re in.”