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| Jeff Otah won’t be wearing a Jets uniform after all. (US Presswire) |
The trade that sent Panthers tackle Jeff Otah to the Jets for a conditional seventh-round draft pick is officially off, the Jets have confirmed. The New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta was the first to report the news.
This trade seemingly was doomed from the very beginning.
After the swap was completed, Otah failed his Jets physical, and it was revealed that he had seven days from the time he was traded to pass the exam or the trade would be voided.
Last weekend, Otah said he was improving but didn’t know if he would be well enough to be cleared medically.
“Right now, they're just kind of rehabbing me and things are going good,” Otah said. “I'm just kind of doing what I'm told.
“It's getting better. It's not 100 percent. That's what we're doing right now. All this work on the field, and working with the trainers ... they're getting me ready.”
At this point, you have to wonder if Otah's career is in danger. He's only played four games in the past two years with injuries, and now it seems as though he can't get his knee healthy enough to satisfy 1/16 of the league.
While the Jets likely will have to open the season with Wayne Hunter at right tackle -- as evidenced by the trade, that's clearly not something they wanted to do -- the Panthers now will have to figure out Otah's path.
As league sources tell CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora, Otah -- who hasn't had an agent for about a week -- is scheduled to report to Panthers camp Wednesday and will meet with team officials and trainers. "They will discuss how much time he may need to pass a physical, whether to allow for a window, or whether to place him on the PUP list immediately," La Canfora writes.
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