After a disastrous 2023 season, the New York Jets are ready to have a healthy Aaron Rodgers in 2024. The team never recovered after the veteran QB went down in Week 1. This is an important offseason for the Jets who are looking to be a playoff contender in 2024. With free agency starting next Wednesday, the Jets want to have cap space to work with.
That is why veteran TE C.J. Uzomah is reportedly being released by the Jets. This signals that the team is ready to move forward with Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert for now. There is speculation that the Jets could draft a TE in 2024. By releasing Uzomah, the Jets clear $5.3 million in cap space. New York now has roughly $25 million to use this offseason.
The Jets have released veteran TE C.J. Uzomah after two seasons with New York
The #Jets are set to move forward with Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert at tight end in 2024. They currently have about $25M in salary cap space after releasing CJ Uzomah. https://t.co/85ORed0Mpl
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 5, 2024
In the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft, C.J. Uzomah was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals. He started in 61 of the 79 games played in his seven years with the team. Uzomah’s best season was his last with the Bengals in 2021. The year they made their run to the Super Bowl but lost to the Rams. In 16 games played and started in 2021, Uzomah has 49 catches for 493 yards and five touchdowns. His production was nowhere close to that in his two seasons with the Jets.
After losing in the Super Bowl with the Bengals, C.J. Uzomah decided to part ways with the Bengals. The veteran TE signed with the Jets on a three-year, $24 million deal. That contract was cut short after New York recently released Uzomah. In 2023 with the Jets, Uzomah had eight catches for 58 yards and one touchdown. Uzomah did miss the last five games of the regular season with an MCL injury. Will the 31-year-old find a new home this offseason?
The #Jets are currently set to pay $34.2 million in dead cap to eight players in 2024 regardless of whether they’re on the roster:
Laken Tomlinson: $10.7M
CJ Uzomah: $5.92M
Carl Lawson: $5.86M
Duane Brown: $4.72M
Jordan Whitehead: $3.3M
Mecole Hardman: $2M
Quinton Jefferson:…— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) March 5, 2024
Passing Uzomah on the depth chart for the Jets was TE Tyler Conklin who was also signed in 2022. He had 61 catches for a career-high (621) receiving yards. Conklin gave New York far better production than Uzomah gave them in 2023. That is why the Jets feel comfortable moving forward with Tyler Conklin as their starting TE as of now. New York does have the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. There has been speculation they could take TE Brock Bowers out of Georgia. We’ll have to wait and see what the Jets plan on doing.
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