The New York Jets spent much of this offseason purging their roster of expensive veteran players.
In mid-February, they declined the $10 million option on left tackle Ryan Clady's contract. Later that month, they released both right tackle Breno Giacomini and kicker Nick Folk. A few days after that, they cut ties with longtime starting center and former Pro Bowler Nick Mangold. Less than a week later, they said goodbye to former All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis. Two days after Revis was cast aside, wide receiver Brandon Marshall was sent out into the free agency ether.
Once the month of June rolled around, the Jets made two more cost-cutting moves that involved letting go of veteran players: linebacker Davis Harris was let go first, and the Jets followed that up by releasing wide receiver Eric Decker after they couldn't find a suitable trade for him.
But they're not tanking. At least, not according to running back Matt Forte -- one of the few vets that was not pushed out the door this offseason.
"It's a good thing we don't operate off of what the fans think and what everybody on the outside thinks," Forte said, according to The Record. "What we think as a team, that's what's going to happen. And none of us on the team think that we're going to tank. So all I have to say about that is: Bring it."
According to The Record's report, Forte got visibly frustrated when asked if the team has enough talent to compete during the upcoming season.
"I mean, what kind of question is that? Do you expect me to say no? This is a professional football team, we have athletes on this team and in the league it's not about the team that has the most talent on the roster, it's about the guys who have a brotherhood together.
"The [guys who] play on the field, not next to each other, they play for each other. They make sacrifices on the field so the other guys can make plays and that's the kind of culture that we've been creating throughout the off-season here."
It's certainly understandable that Forte would grow frustrated with that type of questioning, but it's fairly undeniable at this point that the Jets will be one of the least competitive teams in the league. They don't have a quality quarterback, their offensive line has been plundered, their pass-catching corps is one of the least-experienced in the NFL, and they only have a few potential difference-makers on the defensive side of the football.
They seemed to recognize this issue this offseason, though, which explains why so many veterans were let go and why they traded down several times in the draft to acquire more picks. With cap space and extra young talent in the future, they should be able to rebuild the roster. It just might take a while.
