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#Jets release veteran guard Brian Winters in salary cap move

#Jets release veteran guard Brian Winters in salary cap move

August 2, 2020 | 7:15pm | Updated August 2, 2020 | 7:47pm

Brian Winters has been with the Jets through three general managers and three head coaches, but his time with the team came to an end Sunday.

The Jets released Winters, ending his long run with the team. The 29-year-old guard was the longest-tenured player on the Jets. The team took him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played in 89 games, starting 79 for the team.

Winters’ roster spot appeared to be in jeopardy all offseason. The Jets will save about $7.3 million in cash and cap space by cutting Winters. It was thought he would be a cap casualty earlier in the offseason, but the Jets hung on to him. The team signed guard Greg Van Roten in free agency and brought back Alex Lewis, leaving Winters without a starting spot.

It appeared the Jets were going to let Winters battle for a job in training camp, but instead cut him before camp practices began. It is likely the Jets were waiting for him to pass his physical before releasing him. It would have been a risk for the Jets if he was injured in training camp and then they would be on the hook to pay his $7 million salary this year.

Winters started nine games at right guard last season before a shoulder injury ended his year.

Former GM John Idzik selected Winters and he was one of the last players on the Jets who was a holdover from the Rex Ryan era. Only Quincy Enunwa remains on the team from the Idzik/Ryan days and he has been ruled out for the season. Of the players on the active roster, linebacker Jordan Jenkins and defensive tackle Steve McLendon, who both joined the Jets in 2016, are now the longest-tenured players.

Jets
Brian WintersBill Kostroun

Winters’ legacy with the Jets will be one of toughness. He badly injured his left shoulder in training camp last year, but played through the injury. Winters battled through a torn abdominal muscle in 2017 to play. His 89 games played are the fifth-most for a guard in Jets history.

The Jets signed Winters to a four-year, $29 million contract in January 2017. The deal had no more guaranteed money on it, so the Jets will not carry a dead money charge this season for Winters.

“[He is] a guy that just battled, battled his tail off all year after injuring his shoulder in the preseason and fighting through,” GM Joe Douglas said in February at the NFL Scouting Combine. “And you’re going to be hard-pressed to find a better teammate, a tougher guy than Brian Winters. … I’ve heard a lot of optimism and positives about his rehab. So again, seeing him around the locker room, you know, it’s always good to see Brian. He’s got a big smile on his face and he’s an outstanding Jet.”

With Winters gone, the Jets are assured of having a completely different offensive line than the one that started last year. The Jets will have five new starters. Lewis, the left guard, is the only projected starter who was with the team last year.

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