The NFL's waiver wire closed at 11:59 a.m. ET, and the New York Jets appear to be one of the teams that was very active placing claims on players who were released Friday.
According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jetswere awarded wide receiver Clyde Gates, a 2011 fourth-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins who played for Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano last season.
A 5-foot-11, 190-pound speedster from Division II Abilene Christian, Gates appeared in 15 games for the Dolphins as a rookie, catching two passes for 19 yards while playing about 16 percent of the Dolphins' offensive snaps. Gates also averaged 24.8 yards on 34 kick returns and 10.7 yards on three punt returns as a rookie.
Gates gives the Jets a legitimate deep threat in the passing game, but his inconsistent route-running and hands led the receiver-starved Dolphins to waive him on Friday. Gates is signed through the 2014 season at league-minimum base salaries of $465,000 in 2012, $555,000 in 2013 and $645,000 in 2014.
Gates is not the only Dolphin the Jets claimed off waivers. NFL player agent David Canter announced on Twitter that nose tackle Isaako Aaituihad been claimed by the Jets. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound nose tackle spent most of last season on the Dolphins' practice squad and his release came as a surprise after a solid preseason where he routinely clogged the middle, posted four tackles, a sack and tied for the team-high with three quarterback hits.
Aaitui joins a very deep Jets defensive line that has Sione Po'uha and Kenrick Ellis ahead of him at nose tackle.
In addition to Gates and Aaitui, the Jets claimed tight end Konrad Reulandoff waivers from the San Francisco 49ers, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Follow Brian McIntyre on Twitter _@brianmcintyre_.
