Getty New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers reacting after an NFL game.
The New York Jets have dumped an ex-Green Bay Packers teammate of Aaron Rodgers.
Veteran defensive back Adrian Amos and Gang Green “have mutually agreed to part ways,” NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero shared on X previously Twitter.
Veteran safety Adrian Amos and the #Jets have mutually agreed to part ways, per source.
Amos was teammates with Rodgers for four seasons from 2019 through 2022.
Amos-Jets Experiment Fails in 2023
Amos, 30, signed a one-year deal for $1.75 million to join the Jets roster in June.
Initially he seemed to be added as a depth option, but it was later revealed that starting safety Chuck Clark suffered a torn ACL.
Following the Clark injury news, Amos was projected to be a starter at one of the two safety spots heading into the season. However, he got beat out for the gig by former undrafted free agent Tony Adams. Jordan Whitehead has lined up at the other starting safety spot for the Jets.
Amos ended up appearing in 11 games and making three starts this season. He only played 34 percent of the defensive snaps which was by far a career low for the former Penn State product.
The #Jets are releasing veteran backup S Adrian Amos, source confirms (as @TomPelissero said). He signed a one-year, $1.75M contract in the offseason — a replacement for the injured Chuck Clark. Amos has played 248 snaps on defense, third among their safeties.
Rich Cimini of ESPN said Clark was “third” among the Jets’ safeties in snap rate this year.
Odd Timing and Reasoning for Random Jets Release
Essentially 24 hours before the Jets are set to take the field against the Atlanta Falcons, they released a veteran.
That is a bit strange.
Even more odd is the phrasing that the two parties decided to mutually part ways. With six games remaining in the season, the Jets and Amos decided to go in different directions.
It is fair to wonder if we could see even more news like this in the near future from the Jets.
Several players inked deals with the Jets this offseason for the sole purpose of playing with Rodgers. Although A-Rod was only available for four plays due to a torn Achilles. With a return unlikely this season, perhaps some of the veterans that are left on the Jets roster would prefer finishing up 2023 elsewhere.
This week veteran tight end Zach Ertz requested and got his release from the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona is destined for a top-five pick in the upcoming draft and Ertz doesn’t fit their timeline.
So, the two parties found it best in both interests to split company. The Cardinals get some cap relief and Ertz has a chance to go chase a second Super Bowl ring.
The Jets have less than a one percent chance of making the playoffs at 4-7, according to ESPN’s playoff predictor. Gang Green could have adopted a similar mindset that Arizona has.
Head coach Robert Saleh also revealed that one of the reasons they decided to make Allen Lazard a healthy scratch in Week 12 was to get a look at some of the younger players at the position.
If the Jets get eliminated from playoff contention that could become even more of a focus the rest of the way.
Two players that could merit more playing time at safety on the Jets roster is Ashtyn Davis and rookie Jarrick Bernard-Converse.