Jets release center Mangold
New York saves more than $9M against salary cap.
The New York Jets on Saturday released center Nick Mangold, the longest-tenured member of the team.
An 11-year pro and a leader in the locker room, Mangold, 33, has said he doesn’t plan to retire.
A first-round draft pick in 2006 who played his entire career with the Jets, Mangold is a t wo-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler.
“While this is a sad day to leave so many great coaches, teammates and executives, I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me,” Mangold said. “I truly want to thank the fans for their amazing support over the past 11 years. It means a lot to see all the (hash)74 jerseys in the crowd every Sunday. Thank you all for a fantastic 11 years!”
Releasing its longest-tenured player saves New York more than $9 million against the salary cap.
Mangol d mi s s e d e i g h t games last season with an ankle injury, which he said ma d e h i m wa n t t o p l ay in 2017. In December, he told The Associated Press: “Shoot, I love football. I miss it dearly, so I’m planning on playing.”
His likely replacement is Wesley Johnson, who filled in last year when Mangold was hurt. But Johnson is a restricted free agent.
49ers: When defensive lineman Earl Mitchell got a head start on free agency after being released last week by the Dolphins, San Francisco managed to sell him on familiarity with coaches rather than past success for the team.
After mostly sitting out free agency last offseason, the Niners beat out Atlanta, Seattle and Denver for Mitchell’s services by officially signing him to a four-year $16 million contract on Saturday. Mitchell will be paid $5.5 million in 2017, a person familiar with the deal said on condition of anonymity because terms were not released.
Mitchell said he wasn’t deterred by the fact San Francisco won just two games a year ago, saying he believed in the new direction the franchise is headed in under coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
“I’m not one of those types of guys who looks into the past,” Mitchell said. “I’m always looking ahead. Every year is different, that’s one thing I know about playing in this league.”
Mitchell was attracted to San Francisco in part because he played one season under new 49ers defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina in Houston and was a teammate with the Texans with another 49ers defensive assistant, DeMeco Ryans.
Browns: Of the four compensatory picks Cleveland was awarded for April’s draft, two have already been traded away. The Browns received one selection in the third round (No. 103 overall), two in the fourth (Nos. 139 and 142) and one in the fifth (No. 183). However, the thirdround pick will go to the Patriots as part of the trade for linebacker Jamie Collins in October. And one of the fourth-round picks (No. 139) will transfer to the Eagles as part of last year’s blockbuster deal in which the Browns traded down from No. 2 overall.
Gi a n t s : A s a r e s u l t o f sanctions imposed because of improper use of walkie-talkies during a Sunday night game against the Cowboys l a s t December, t he team’s fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft will drop 10 spots to No. 140 overall, the NFL announced. The Giants now will pick after the final compensatory pick in the fourth round.