The New York Jets are saying goodbye to some veterans as they whittle their roster down to 53 players on Saturday.
NFL Media's Albert Breer reported the Jets have released quarterback Matt Flynn and linebacker Jason Babin. NFL Media's Conor Orr reported the team also has cut quarterback Josh Johnson.
Babin is a 11-year veteran who had two sacks in 16 games as a situational pass rusher last season. He would have cost New York $1.5 million against the salary cap this season. On Thursday, Babin was confident he'd find a job if the Jets moved on.
"If they don't want me, I'm sure there's 31 others that do if it comes down to that," Babin told the New York Daily News after the team's preseason finale. "I'll be fishing."
The Jets are rolling the dice a bit at quarterback. With Geno Smith sidelined with a jaw injury and Flynn and Johnson out of the mix, that means the team appears to be ready to enter Week 1 with rookie Bryce Petty as Ryan Fitzpatrick's backup. This is a cost-saving move by general manager Mike Maccagnan, who didn't want to be on the hook for a fully guaranteed veteran salary with Geno Smith likely back in October.
One likely scenario? The Jets hope to get through Week 1 against the Browns without calamity, then sign Flynn or Johnson later in the week. In related news, Matt Flynn: not despondent.
