Antonio Cromartie is the Jets top defensive back, and also their most expensive.
Cromartie battled lingering hip injuries and inconsistent play throughout the majority of this season. The rough year and a expensive cap hit have some wondering about Cromartie’s future in New York.
Cromartie is set to receive a $5 million roster bonus in March while counting a huge $15 million against the Jets cap for next season. With such an enormous amount of money due, ESPN New York is reporting that Cromartie expressed to some teammates that he expects to be released by the Jets.
One of the most interesting offseason decisions involves Antonio Cromartie, who is to count $15 million against the 2014 salary cap. That includes a $5 million roster bonus in March. Cromartie told teammates he expects the Jets to release him, but that he hopes to re-sign after testing the market. That would be the smart move. The Jets can’t write a $5 million check for a soon-to-be-30-year-old cornerback who might need hip surgery. Because it’s the final year of his contract, he can’t do a simple restructuring to provide cap relief, as he did last year. They should cut him, let him shop around, and decide whether they want to match his best offer. They did it that way last offseason with Calvin Pace, and it worked out.
Cromartie reportedly hopes to return at a reduced number.