NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS March 13, 2015 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 AP source: Jets sign Antonio Cromartie to 4-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.)... 2 AP source: Jets, Gilchrist agree to terms on 4-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.)... 3 Jets re-sign guard Willie Colon to 1-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.)... 3 Jets re-sign long snapper Purdum to 2-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.)... 4 THE RECORD... 4 He's back too: Antonio Cromartie returns to Jets (J.P. Pelzman)... 4 Jets re-sign lineman Willie Colon to one-year deal (J.P. Pelzman)... 5 NEWSDAY... 6 Source: Antonio Cromartie returns to Jets on four-year deal (Kimberley Martin)... 6 Willie Colon re-signs with Jets (Kimberley Martin)... 7 Jets re-sign long snapper Tanner Purdum (Kimberley Martin)... 8 Mike Maccagnan's deep pass produces a touchdown (Bob Glauber)... 8 ESPN NEW YORK... 9 Antonio Cromartie returns to Jets (Rich Cimini)... 9 Marcus Gilchrist agrees with Jets (Rich Cimini) Jets re-sign guard Willie Colon (Rich Cimini) NJ.COM Antonio Cromartie agrees to sign with Jets, reuniting with Darrelle Revis, source confirms (Darryl Slater) Jets agree to sign free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, formerly of San Diego Chargers, source confirms (Darryl Slater) Jets re-sign long snapper Tanner Purdum (Dom Cosentino) Jets re-sign offensive guard Willie Colon to 1-year deal, source confirms. Will he make the roster? (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK POST Jets sign Antonio Cromartie to four-year, $32M deal (Brian Costello) Jets land target, agree with ex-chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist (Brian Costello) Jets bring back penalty-piling Willie Colon on 1-year deal (Brian Costello) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jets agree to terms with CB Antonio Cromartie: source (Seth Walder) Brandon Marshall's 'Inside' info good for Jets (Bob Raissman) NEW YORK TIMES Cromartie Is Reunited With Darrelle Revis on the Jets (Tom Pedulla) P a g e

2 WALL STREET JOURNAL Jets Sign Antonio Cromartie, Reuniting Him With Revis (Stu Woo) METRO NEW YORK Antonio Cromartie, Darrelle Revis together again (Kristian Dyer) Darrelle Revis will change entire outlook of Jets franchise (Kristian Dyer) BringBackEd.com pushing for Fireman Ed return (Kristian Dyer) THURSDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS AP source: Jets sign Antonio Cromartie to 4-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.) Associated Press March 13, NEW YORK (AP) The band is getting back together in the New York Jets' secondary. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie agreed to terms with the Jets on a four-year contract, worth $32 million in base salary, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The move Thursday comes a day after New York finalized a deal to bring Darrelle Revis back on a five-year, $70 million contract. Cromartie's deal can have a maximum value of $35 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the move. Cromartie and Revis played together with the Jets from , and Revis said during a conference call Wednesday night that he planned to reach out to his former teammate about reuniting in New York. "I'm going to get in contact with him very soon here," Revis said, "and try to convince him to hopefully come back and join our Batman-and-Robin tandem we had a couple of years ago." Well, the sequel's on: Batman and Robin: Part II. "Something like a dynamic duo," Cromartie wrote on Twitter. "Happy to shutdown QB's with my again!" Cromartie, who turns 31 in April, returns to the Jets after one season with Arizona, where he played for then-defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, who is now New York's coach. Cromartie's family traveled every week from their home in New Jersey for his games in Arizona, making the Jets even more attractive as the cornerback decided between them and the Cardinals. The Jets brought back Cromartie after they made one of the biggest splashes of free agency by signing Revis. Cromartie made his fourth Pro Bowl last season, with three interceptions for the Cardinals while also impressing Bowles. He was a first-round pick by San Diego out of Florida State in 2006, and was traded to New York in The four-time Pro Bowl selection has 31 career interceptions and 102 passes defensed. Cromartie, a favorite of former coach Rex Ryan because of his overall athleticism, was released by the Jets last March after four seasons in New York in a cost-cutting move by then-gm John Idzik. He was coming off a nagging hip ailment that affected him toward the end of the 2013 season, but showed he was healthy last year with a terrific year. The Jets also didn't aggressively pursue Revis last offseason, allowing him to sign with rival New England, where he helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl. 2 P a g e

3 New York's shaky secondary ended up being a glaring weak spot during the Jets' 4-12 season, which cost both Ryan and Idzik their jobs. Darrin Walls, a career backup, and undrafted free agent Marcus Williams were pushed into starting roles, along with Phillip Adams and safety-turned-cornerback Antonio Allen after 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner and Dexter McDougle, a third-rounder last year, were lost for the season with injuries, and veteran Dimitri Patterson, a free-agent signing, was cut after missing a preseason game without permission from the team. Adams signed with Atlanta as a free agent, but Walls, Williams, Milliner and McDougle are all back likely as backups while Allen is expected to return to being a full-time safety. The Jets also signed former Steelers cornerback Curtis Brown in February. Bowles, who likes to have a stable of cornerbacks in his aggressive, blitzing defense, has an instantly upgraded secondary with the signings of Revis, Cromartie and Buster Skrine, the former Browns cornerback who joined the Jets on a four-year, $25 million deal on Wednesday. New York kept the reconstruction going Thursday night, agreeing to terms with former Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist on a four-year deal. In the past two days, the Jets who came into free agency more than $51 million under the salary cap signed three cornerbacks to long-term deals for a combined $127 million. New York has been active since Tuesday, trading for wide receiver Brandon Marshall and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, cutting wide receiver Percy Harvin, signing guard James Carpenter and re-signing running back Bilal Powell. The Jets also re-signed guard Willie Colon to a one-year deal on Thursday, and brought back long snapper Tanner Purdum on a two-year contract. AP source: Jets, Gilchrist agree to terms on 4-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.) Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) A person familiar with the deal says the New York Jets and safety Marcus Gilchrist have agreed to terms on a four-year contract. Gilchrist spent his first four NFL seasons with the San Diego Chargers after being a second-round draft pick out of Clemson in The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the signing Thursday night. NFL Network first reported the agreement. Gilchrist has five interceptions, three sacks and three forced fumbles in his career. He has started every game the last two seasons for the Chargers, and is the latest addition to a revamped Jets secondary. New York signed cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie to big deals in the last two days. Jets re-sign guard Willie Colon to 1-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.) Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) The New York Jets have re-signed veteran guard Willie Colon to a one-year contract. Colon has started every game at right guard for the Jets the past two years after seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The deal is for the veteran minimum of $870,000, plus a signing bonus. 3 P a g e

4 The signing Thursday is somewhat of a surprise. New York signed James Carpenter, likely to be the starter at left guard, on Wednesday. Oday Aboushi and Brian Winters have started there the last two years, but figured to compete at right guard this summer. They still might but with Colon back in the mix. Colon, who turns 32 in April, has been a strong run blocker throughout his career, but led the Jets with 12 accepted penalties last season. Jets re-sign long snapper Purdum to 2-year deal (Dennis Waszak Jr.) Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) The New York Jets have re-signed long snapper Tanner Purdum to a two-year contract. Purdum has been with the Jets for five seasons after signing with New York in 2010 and replacing longtime long snapper James Dearth. Purdum, an unrestricted free agent, has made 783 snaps on punt and field goals over 83 regular- and postseason games without a fumble, wild snap or penalty, according to the Jets. He previously spent the 2009 offseason with Kansas City after being an undrafted free agent out of Baker University in THE RECORD He's back too: Antonio Cromartie returns to Jets (J.P. Pelzman) THE RECORD MARCH 13, The Jets continued rebuilding their battered secondary of a year ago. Antonio Cromartie with the Jets in The free-agent cornerback has agreed to return to the team after playing in Arizona last season. (AP File Photo/Bill Kostroun) And that plan also continues to resemble a turn-back-the-clock promotion. One day after Darrelle Revis officially signed on the dotted line, the Jets agreed to terms Thursday with free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie on a four-year deal, pending a physical, according to a source. The contract reportedly will play Cromartie a base salary of $8 million a year and could have a value of as much as $35 million. Cromartie, who played for the Jets from and had 13 interceptions during that span, will be 31 next month. He played alongside Revis from 2010 until the third game of the 2012 season, when Revis suffered a torn knee ligament that ended his first tour of duty with the Jets. Cromartie, at that time, took over the role of the No. 1 cornerback and had an excellent season. He had a subpar, injury-plagued 2013 campaign and was let go by the Jets. He landed with the Cardinals, whose defensive coordinator at that time was current Jets head coach Todd Bowles. 4 P a g e

5 Cromartie, who reportedly chose the Jets over Dallas, had three interceptions and 10 passes defensed last season. Revis indicated on a conference call Wednesday night that he would be interested in teaming with Cromartie again. I m going to get in contact with him, hopefully very soon here, Revis said at that time, and try to convince him to hopefully come back and join our Batman and Robin tandem that we had a couple years ago. The Jets also signed former Cleveland cornerback Buster Skrine this week. Cromartie s acquisition likely means that Skrine would play as the nickel back and slot corner, with Revis and Cromartie as the starting outside cornerbacks. Among the three of them, the Jets have $127 million in salary committed to cornerbacks over the next five years. That s a lot of money, but it helps that the Jets entered free agency this year with plenty of cap room. Plus, they don t have a franchise quarterback on the roster, so it will be a while before they are sinking big money into that position. The Jets could have a surplus of cornerbacks if 2013 first-round draft pick Dee Milliner (Achilles) and 2014 third-round selection Dexter McDougle (knee) get healthy. Milliner isn t expected to be ready to take the field until training camp in late July. JETS RE-SIGN COLON, PURDUM: The Jets also re-signed veteran right guard Willie Colon on Thursday. It s a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of $870,000, plus a signing bonus, according to a source. Colon has played for the Jets the last two seasons, starting every game at right guard. The Jets allowed him to hit the free agent market Tuesday. His return would seem to indicate the Jets don t have a ton of confidence in third-year pros Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi, both of whom started at left guard last season. Winters suffered a season-ending knee injury in October and Aboushi started for the rest of the season. The Jets have agreed to terms to terms on a four-year deal with strong safety Marcus Gilchrist, according to reports. Gilchrist, a free agent who spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with San Diego, was drafted in the second round in 2011 as a cornerback, but was moved to safety before the 2013 season. Gilchrist, who visited the Jets facility in Florham Park earlier this week, has five interceptions and 16 passes defensed in his NFL career. His acquisition likely means the Jets are prepared to move on from veteran safety Dawan Landry, who has started for the Jets the last two seasons and now is a free agent. Also Thursday, the Jets re-signed long snapper Tanner Purdum to a two-year deal. He has manned that position for them for the past four seasons. The Jets signed Seattle free agent James Carpenter to a four-year contract Wednesday, and it s expected that he will step in as the starting left guard. Jets re-sign lineman Willie Colon to one-year deal (J.P. Pelzman) THE RECORD MARCH 12, P a g e

6 The Jets re-signed right guard Willie Colon on Thursday to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of $870,000. Colon has played for the Jets the past two seasons, starting every game at right guard. The Jets allowed him to hit the free-agent market Tuesday before signing him. The Jets signed Seattle Seahawks guard James Carpenter to a four-year deal for $19.1 million Wednesday, and it seems likely he will play left guard this season. Signing Carpenter and re-upping Colon apparently means the Jets aren t sold on Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi, both of whom started at left guard last season. Both were drafted in NEWSDAY Source: Antonio Cromartie returns to Jets on four-year deal (Kimberley Martin) Newsday March 13, Batman and Robin are back together. A day after the Jets officially announced the signing of cornerback Darrelle Revis, a source confirmed Thursday that Antonio Cromartie has agreed to a four-year deal that includes a yearly base salary of $8 million. In less than 72 hours, the Jets have retooled their secondary, turning it from one of the NFL's worst to potentially one of its best. After two seasons in which former general manager John Idzik hoarded money at the expense of filling holes -- especially at cornerback -- the new Jets regime refused to make the same mistake. But the massive overhaul has put a huge dent in the team's salary-cap stash. Since Tuesday, the Jets have committed $127 million to cornerbacks. First came the addition of former Brown Buster Skrine, who inked a four-year, $25-million deal Wednesday. Then came the potential coup of the offseason, prying Revis away from the Patriots with a five-year, $70-million offer with $39 million guaranteed. And on Thursday, the Jets added the final piece, Cromartie. Revis said late Wednesday he planned to persuade his former teammate to come back and "join our Batman and Robin tandem we had a couple years ago.'' According to a source, Cromartie took less money to be a Jet again and reunite with Revis and his former Cardinals defensive coordinator, Todd Bowles. "Something like a dynamic duo... Happy to shutdown QB's with my again!'' Cromartie tweeted, along with a picture of him and Revis. Cromartie signed a four-year, $32-million deal in He wanted to return to the Jets last offseason, but Idzik never made an offer and Cromartie signed a one-year, $3.5-million deal with Arizona. He had three interceptions and 49 tackles and made his fourth Pro Bowl. 6 P a g e

7 The arrival of the three cornerbacks raises questions about the young corners already on the roster. With Revis, Cromartie and Skrine, that leaves former first-round pick Dee Milliner as the No. 4 corner. The Jets drafted Milliner ninth overall in 2013, shortly after Idzik dealt Revis to the Bucs for two draft picks. Milliner suffered a high-ankle sprain during training camp last year and missed most of the season with an Achilles tear. Dexter McDougle is coming back after missing his rookie season with a knee injury. Idzik tried in vain to make a makeshift secondary out of backups and off-the-street signings, and cornerback Marcus Williams emerged as a solid starter. The Jets also added another defensive back. A source confirmed they finalized a four-year deal with former Chargers strong safety Marcus Gilchrist, and he is expected to sign Friday. The 5-10, 198-pounder has five interceptions, 16 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three sacks in 62 games (40 starts). The Jets' secondary upgrades were a necessity, but it remains to be seen whether these moves will have a major impact on the team's success. The Jets have no clear answer at quarterback, even after this week's trade for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Their plan likely won't be known until the April draft. Colon, Purdum re-sign. The Jets re-signed guard Willie Colon to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum plus a signing bonus, a source said. They also announced the re-signing of long snapper Tanner Purdum. According to his agent, it's a two-year deal... GM Mike Maccagnan, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and several other staffers attended Oregon's pro day, featuring quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Jets also will attend West Virginia's pro day Friday. Willie Colon re-signs with Jets (Kimberley Martin) Newsday Willie Colon is back with the Jets for another year. "I am so happy to be back wearing the Green&White. Thank you to all who prayed for me and my family. #NyJ," Colon tweeted. According to a source, the Bronx native and Hofstra product has signed a one-year deal for the veteran minimum salary. It's the third one-year deal for the offensive lineman, who first signed with the Jets in March 2013 after seven seasons in Pittsburgh. Bringing back Colon is a somewhat surprising move considering his age (he'll be 32 in April) and injury history. While with the Steelers, Colon tore his Achilles in 2010 and tore his bicep in In two seasons with the Jets, he's undergone arthroscopic surgery on his knee, suffered another torn bicep and nursed a calf injury. He also has a penchant for being flagged often and racking up fines from the league office. Colon was fined $34,124 in 2013 for his role in an in-game melee with the Patriots and $8,268 for his involvement in a brawl with the Titans. But he brings a gritty toughness, a trait former head coach Rex Ryan was particularly fond of, and muchneeded depth to the Jets' offensive line. 7 P a g e

8 On Wednesday, the Jets announced the signing of former Seahawks guard James Carpenter, who inked a four-year deal. Mainstays center Nick Mangold and left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson return, along with left tackle Breno Giacomini, Oday Aboushi and Brian Winters. Last season, Aboushi started 10 games in place of Winters, who tore the ACL in his left knee in Week 6. Jets re-sign long snapper Tanner Purdum (Kimberley Martin) Newsday Long snapper Tanner Purdum re-signed with the Jets, the team announced Thursday. According to Purdum's agent, it's a two-year deal. "Thankful and excited to continue my career as a Jet! #GreatestCityOnEarth," Purdum tweeted. Purdum, who became an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday, isn't a big-name roster guy, but he's a vital piece on special teams. According to the Jets' website, the 29-year-old has made 783 snaps without a single fumble, wild snap or penalty. Purdum signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in April 2009, but was waived four months later. He signed a three-year deal with the Jets the following offseason. Mike Maccagnan's deep pass produces a touchdown (Bob Glauber) Newsday Mike Maccagnan matter-of-factly suggested at last month's NFL Combine that the Jets would be aggressive when the free-agency signing period opened. When asked how he planned to deal with the impending opportunity to reshape his roster, Maccagnan replied, "We will be active in free agency. We have a lot of [salary] cap space. Our thing is, we want to maximize the return from the opportunity." Three days into free agency, Maccagnan has done precisely that, taking advantage of a whopping $51 million in salary-cap space by splurging on cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, trading last week for Bears receiver Brandon Marshall, dealing for Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and re-signing linebacker David Harris and running back Bilal Powell. It has been a dizzying week for Maccagnan and new coach Todd Bowles, and while we generally offer a cautionary note about teams that use free agency to fix their problems, all of the moves make the Jets a significantly better team -- at least on paper -- than they were at this point last week. Success is never guaranteed in the NFL, and championships cannot be bought through free agency and trades. But with a sensible plan and plenty of money to work with, the Jets are in a good place. They still need a championship-caliber quarterback and have to hope that Oregon's Marcus Mariota, who had his pro day on Thursday, somehow can either drop to them at No. 6 or be available in a trade. But you can't build successful rosters overnight, so even if they can't get the blue-chip quarterback, there will be opportunities down the line to address the position. 8 P a g e

9 In the meantime, the Jets have to hope that either Geno Smith can demonstrate significant improvement in Year 3 or Fitzpatrick can be an adequate game manager. Translation: The stopgap quarterback who will be good enough not to mess things up. A few other observations as we sift through Maccagnan's spending spree: What about Dee Milliner? Remember the cornerback the Jets drafted in the first round two years ago? Well, it's pretty obvious that after doling out a whopping $127 million for three free-agent cornerbacks, Maccagnan and Bowles have reservations about his health and his skill level. So what to do with an oftinjured cornerback who spent much of his rookie season being benched and is recovering from Achilles surgery? My sense is Maccagnan will let it play out and see how Milliner does once he's healthy. "If he comes back well from his injury, suddenly you have a good player in him," Maccagnan said at the Combine. "You have to kind of prepare for the worst-case scenario, but if you do get him back and he plays well, if we go out and address that position and he comes back strongly, it just makes that position stronger. I will say this with cornerbacks: You can never have enough good ones. I'd be very happy if we had a surplus at that position." Cromartie still can play. The Jets shouldn't have let him go in the first place, especially with a chance to keep the cornerback for a little more than $3 million, which he settled for with the Cardinals. Cromartie still is a top cornerback, and with Revis back, he'll be that much more effective. And if his play deteriorates before his four-year, $32-million deal expires, the Jets can get out from under it with minimal salary-cap implications. Thank you, John Idzik. The former general manager was a lightning rod for criticism, especially last year, but he actually left the Jets in tremendous fiscal shape and set the stage for his successor's early spending binge. Idzik's plan was to build through the draft, similar to what the Seahawks did when he worked in their front office. But Smith didn't develop as hoped, and many of his other draft picks weren't at the same level as Seattle's ultra-talented, ultra-young roster. The plan was right, the execution was flawed, and Idzik was sent on his way -- but not before leaving Maccagnan with an ideal salary-cap situation. Quarterback concerns. The position will continue to be an issue, but Maccagnan's plan is to eventually draft a stud passer and go from there. Whether it's Mariota this year or a top prospect next year or the year after remains to be seen. Regardless, the fact that drafted players are much cheaper to develop means that the GM's spending spree won't hamstring the Jets' salary-cap situation. Unlike the Ravens, who had to shed players once they re-signed Joe Flacco, and the Saints, who are doing the same largely because Drew Brees takes up an inordinate amount of cap space, the Jets have flexibility with no major quarterback investment in the near term. Put it all together, and the Jets are in good shape. Certainly better now than they were before Maccagnan started putting Woody Johnson's millions to good use. ESPN NEW YORK Antonio Cromartie returns to Jets (Rich Cimini) ESPN.com 9 P a g e

10 wo days after their blockbuster move for cornerback Darrelle Revis, the New York Jets are bringing back his former sidekick, Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie agreed Thursday to a four-year, $32 million contract, a league source told ESPN. After two years apart, the Jets' cornerback tandem from 2010 to 2012 will be reunited. On Wednesday night, Revis said he was planning to make a recruiting call to Cromartie, saying he wants the "Batman-and-Robin tandem" together again. Cromartie took to Twitter on Wednesday to show his excitement: The Jets are in the midst of a major overhaul to the secondary. They also have a deal with Buster Skrine, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, giving them three new starting-caliber corners. The contracts for Cromartie, Revis and Skrine total $127 million. Former San Diego Chargers free agent Marcus Gilchrist also came aboard Thursday night, agreeing to a deal with the team, a source said. Cromartie was attractive because of his familiarity with Todd Bowles, who coached him last season with the Arizona Cardinals. Cromartie's body type (6-foot-2) and press-man ability fit ideally into Bowles' system. The Jets cut Cromartie in a cap move after a poor season in They tried to re-sign him, but he bolted for the Cardinals. The secondary -- without Cromartie and Revis (traded in 2013) -- was awful last year, allowing an AFC-high 31 touchdown passes. Cromartie, who turns 31 on April 15, is coming off his fourth Pro Bowl appearance after finishing 2014 with 53 tackles and four interceptions, including the playoffs. He returned a fumble for a touchdown in Week 10 against the Rams. In his only year with the team, Cromartie was part of a secondary that helped lead the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance since When he signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals in March 2014, Cromartie was coming off a hip pointer in 2013 with the Jets. All signs last season pointed to Cromartie fully recovering despite a couple of nagging injuries. Marcus Gilchrist agrees with Jets (Rich Cimini) ESPN.com March 13, Continuing a makeover of the secondary, the New York Jets reached an agreement Thursday night with free-agent safety Marcus Gilchrist on a four-year contract, a league source confirmed. Gilchrist, formerly of the San Diego Chargers, spent Wednesday and Thursday meeting with Jets officials. In a span of 72 hours, the Jets have added four new starting-caliber players to the secondary. Aside from Gilchrist, they also have brought in cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, who probably will be the nickel back. Gilchrist is expected to start alongside Calvin Pryor, last year's first-round pick. 10 P a g e

11 The Jets' secondary was weakened in recent years by big-name defections -- Revis being traded in 2013 and Cromartie becoming a cap casualty in As a result, the pass defense was horrible last season, as the Jets allowed an AFC-high 31 touchdown passes. For a second straight year, Gilchrist started all 16 games in 2014, finishing second on the team in tackles with 76 and playing in a total of 929 snaps, second defensively to Eric Weddle (961). Gilchrist also notched two forced fumbles, a sack and an interception that sealed San Diego's win over the St. Louis Rams on Nov. 23. Selected in the second round of the 2011 draft by the Chargers out of Clemson, Gilchrist emerged as a full-time starter in 2013 at safety, playing in the defensive backfield next to Weddle. Gilchrist, 26, was drafted as a cornerback, but switched primarily to safety in He started 16 games in 2013, playing 951 snaps and finishing third on the team in tackles with 77. Gilchrist also finished the regular season with two interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and five pass breakups in Jets re-sign guard Willie Colon (Rich Cimini) ESPN.com The New York Jets retained starting right guard Willie Colon, agreeing Thursday to a one-year contract that will pay him the veteran minimum of $870,000. Colon, who was an unrestricted free agent, announced his return on Twitter, saying he's "happy to be back wearing the Green & White." The move came as somewhat of a surprise. After signing free agent James Carpenter this week to a fouryear, $19.1 million contract to play left guard, it was thought that last season's left guards -- Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi -- would compete for Colon's spot. Evidently, the Jets aren't sold on Aboushi and Winters, who is returning from major knee surgery. Colon's return provides flexibility and depth Colon, who turns 32 in April, started every game in two seasons with the Jets. He battled injuries -- knee and biceps surgeries after the 2013 season -- but he managed to stay on the field. The Bronx native brought toughness and leadership to the offense, making him a popular player. The downside to Colon was his lack of discipline. He was penalized 14 times in 2014, the highest total for any guard, according to Pro Football Focus. Many of them came in the red zone, contributing to the Jets' inefficiency inside the opponents' 20. Colon, a veteran of eight seasons, spent his first six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning a Super Bowl ring. NJ.COM Antonio Cromartie agrees to sign with Jets, reuniting with Darrelle Revis, source confirms (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media 11 P a g e

12 On Tuesday, cornerback Antonio Cromartie predicted Darrelle Revis would choose to remain with the Patriots, rather than return to the Jets. Cromartie was wrong. Cromartie also said he didn't think a team would be willing or able to pay both him and Revis in free agency. Cromartie was wrong on that one, too. But Cromartie will happily stand corrected on both counts, because he is returning to the Jets, after one year with the Cardinals. Cromartie, a free agent, agreed on Thursday to sign a contract with the Jets, a league source confirmed. The contract, which has not yet been finalized, is a four-year deal worth more than $8 million per year, the source said, adding that Cromartie is expected to officially sign later Thursday. The source spoke to NJ Advance Media on a condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the matter. That would be a whole lot of money for Cromartie, as he enters his 10th NFL season, though what really matters is the guaranteed money in the deal, and that isn't clear yet. Before the 2011 season, the Jets gave him a four-year, $32 million contract. And now, perhaps, they're going to give him similar money. (He got about $14 million in guaranteed pay in 2011). The Jets are clearly going all-in on upgrading their cornerback position. Before the Cromartie news, the Jets had about $19 million in cap space remaining, based on an overthecap.com estimate. Cromartie's return to the Jets was first reported by About Sports' Connor Hughes. Cromartie played for the Jets from , before they cut him to save $9.5 million in salary cap space. He and Revis overlapped in the Jets' secondary from Now, they are back together again, trying to fix the Jets' secondary, which was a mess in One of the NFL's top cornerbacks, Revis on Tuesday night agreed to sign a monster contract with the Jets, kicking off their free agency signing period with a bang. Revis said Wednesday night that he planned to reach out to Cromartie and recruit him into a reunion. Revis and Cromartie have technically played just one full season together. In 2010, Cromartie missed one game and Revis missed three. In 2011, they both played all 16 games. In 2012, Cromartie played all 16 games, but Revis played in just two before sustaining a season-ending knee injury. Revis spent 2013 in Tampa Bay (after the Jets traded him) and last season in New England. The Jets haven't reached the playoffs since they made their second straight AFC Championship Game after the 2010 season. With these high-profile additions to their secondary, could they get back into the postseason in 2015? The Jets also signed free agent Buster Skrine, who could become their slot corner. They are still looking for a safety to play alongside Calvin Pryor, their first-round pick last year. In terms of the Jets' other corners, Dee Milliner and Dexter McDougle could find themselves battling for playing time in 2015, now that Revis, Cromartie and Skrine are in the mix. The Jets gave Revis $39 million guaranteed. Skrine got $13 million guaranteed. Then again, the Jets' new head coach, Todd Bowles, has historically played a lot of nickel and dime packages, with five or six defensive backs on the field at the same time. 12 P a g e

13 Milliner was the Jets' first-round pick in He had a rocky rookie season and played just three games last season before tearing his Achilles tendon. McDougle, a third-round pick last year, missed the entire season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. During his brief free agency, Cromartie was down to the Cardinals and Jets on Wednesday, but preferred the Jets, as he continued to talk with both teams, according to the source. Throughout the offseason, Cromartie made no secret that he would be open to a reunion with the Jets. Cromartie's camp and the Jets negotiated deep into the night Tuesday, going into Wednesday. On Tuesday, Cromartie said in a Sirius XM Radio interview that he was down to the Jets, Cowboys and Cardinals. He had previously mentioned, on ESPN, his fondness for Dallas, where he will retire after his playing days end. After intercepting 13 passes for the Jets from , Cromartie spent last season with Arizona. Bowles was the Cardinals' defensive coordinator. Bowles strongly hinted when he got hired by the Jets that he needed quality cornerbacks in order to run his 3-4 defense. His general manager, Mike Maccagnan, is giving him those pieces. Cromartie played better last season than he did in 2013, when he dealt with a nagging hip injury. But he is not the player he was earlier in his career. Cromartie has 31 career interceptions, including three last season, when he played on a one-year contract. He will turn 31 years old next month. (Revis turns 30 in July, but has shown no signs of decline.) Cromartie last season was rated the NFL's 45th-best cornerback (and also 45th in cornerback coverage ratings) by Pro Football Focus. In 2013, Cromartie was 102nd out of 110 corners in overall ratings, and 109th in coverage ratings. The Jets last season surrendered 31 touchdown passes (third-most in the league) and made six picks (tied for fewest in the league). A repeat of those numbers in 2015 seems impossible to envision. Jets agree to sign free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, formerly of San Diego Chargers, source confirms (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media The Jets on Thursday evening agreed to sign free agent safety Marcus Gilchrist, formerly of the Chargers, a league source confirmed. It will be a four-year contract, and Gilchrist is expected to sign it Friday. The news was first reported by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. Monetary terms of the contract were not immediately available. On Wednesday, Gilchrist's camp prepared to begin contract negotiations with the Jets, while also starting to schedule a visit with another team, in case Gilchrist and the Jets could not reach an agreement, the source said. As it turned out, Gilchrist did not need to take any other visits. He is coming to the Jets. He will be the first safety they have landed this offseason. The source spoke to NJ Advance Media on a condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the matter. 13 P a g e

14 On Thursday afternoon, it appeared talks with Gilchrist might have stalled, because the Jets were still reaching out to other free agent safeties. But Gilchrist and the Jets got their deal done. The Jets needed a safety to play next to second-year pro Calvin Pryor because they are likely to let 32- year-old Dawan Landry walk in free agency. Rutgers alumnus Devin McCourty, the highest-profile pending free agent safety this offseason, decided to re-sign with the Patriots, though the Jets were reportedly not in the hunt for him. Pryor is an in-the-box safety who is better closer to the line of scrimmage. Last season, he had to play more deep coverage than he was comfortable with, to account for the Jets' deficiencies at cornerback. They likely will not have those cornerback problems in 2015, as they have brought back elite corner Darrelle Revis. They also signed cornerback Buster Skrine, who could replace Kyle Wilson as the Jets' slot corner. And on Thursday, they agreed to sign free agent corner Antonio Cromartie, reuniting him with Revis in the Jets' secondary, where they started together from The Jets' secondary, such a major weak point last season, is beginning to transform into one of their strongest areas. Still, Gilchrist didn't have a great 2014 season. He was rated No. 72 among safeties by Pro Football Focus, including 83rd in coverage and 42nd against the run. In 2013, he was rated 20th overall among safeties, including 55th in coverage and 18th against the run. He has been a starting safety for the past two seasons, after playing cornerback for his first two years in the NFL, though he got some work at corner in Gilchrist started four games in each of his first two NFL seasons. He is 26, and is a former second-round draft pick by San Diego. He has just five career interceptions in 62 career games, with 40 starts. Even though Gilchrist has moved from corner to safety, he played all over the field last season: 401 snaps in the slot, 306 at strong safety and 201 at free safety, according to ESPN research, as ESPN New York's Rich Cimini noted. Now, can Gilchrist combine with Revis, Cromartie and Skrine to help fix the Jets' secondary? The Jets last season allowed 31 touchdown passes (third-most in the NFL) and intercepted just six passes (tied for fewest in the league). The Jets' passing defense DVOA in 2014 ranked 24th in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders. In 2013, the Jets ranked 18th in this metric. In 2011, Revis's last fully healthy season with the Jets, they were second. The year before, they were seventh. And in 2009, they were first. Will Revis help put them up near the top again? Gilchrist arrived for a free agency visit with the Jets on Tuesday night. He met with the team as scheduled on Wednesday and had dinner with the Jets' coaches and Skrine on Wednesday night. The NFL's free agency signing period began at 4 p.m. Tuesday, so any players like Gilchrist who were impending free agents became unrestricted free agents at that time, and could begin visiting teams. The Jets had been interested in Gilchrist before the signing period began. The Jets had also expressed interest in Chiefs free agent safety Ron Parker, who visited the Bears on Wednesday, according to The Kansas City Star. It is unclear if Parker had a visit lined up with the Jets. A league source said at least four teams expressed interest in Parker on Wednesday, but declined to disclose the identity of those teams. Parker went undrafted in He started for the first time last year, and was rated the 73rd-best safety in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, including 29th in coverage ratings. 14 P a g e

15 Jets re-sign long snapper Tanner Purdum (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media General manager Mike Maccagnan might be on the other side of the country at Marcus Mariota's pro day, but that doesn't mean the Jets have stopped negotiating with potential free agents. Long snapper Tanner Purdum announced on Twitter early Thursday afternoon that he had signed a contract to remain in Florham Park. A short time later, the Jets announced the move, too. Purdum, 29, has been with the Jets firing footballs between his legs for punts, extra points, and field goals since the 2010 season. There are no advanced stats available on him, but you probably knew that already. That said, it's tough to recall the last time Purdum had a bad snap. His agent, Robert Roche, said on Twitter that Purdum would be getting a two-year deal. The compensation and salary-cap impact was not disclosed. Per overthecap.com, Purdum's previous two-year deal paid him a total of $1.49 million, including a $130,000 signing bonus. His 2014 cap number was $795,000. Purdum's announcement included a photo of him as he signed his deal: Thankful and excited to continue my career as a Jet! #GreatestCityOnEarth pic.twitter.com/e1anonpjn0 Tanner Purdum (@TannerPurdum) Purdum's wife, Kara, also seemed pretty excited about the new deal on Twitter: YES!!!!! We get to stay a Jet! So incredibly thankful, I love this town! #NYC # #PurdumPride pic.twitter.com/k58ldl9slv Kara Purdum (@karapurdum) Purdum's signing now means the Jets have officially re-signed four of their own free agents, and that they've extended restricted tenders to two others. For a complete rundown of the Jets' offseason transactions, click here. Jets re-sign offensive guard Willie Colon to 1-year deal, source confirms. Will he make the roster? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media When the Jets signed Seattle offensive guard James Carpenter in free agency, it seemed like Willie Colon's days with the organization were finished. But that might not be the case. The Jets have re-signed Colon, a free agent, to a one-year contract, giving him a chance to compete for a roster spot in 2015, a league source confirmed. Colon later confirmed his re-signing on his Twitter account. The Jets also confirmed it. Newsday's Kimberley A. Martin first reported the re-signing, and that it is for the veterans minimum salary. 15 P a g e

16 Because Colon has nine seasons of NFL experience, his one-year veterans minimum contract would be for $870,000, according to spotrac.com. But there almost certainly will be no (or minimal) guaranteed money included in the deal, so the Jets could cut Colon without any significant salary cap ramifications. If Colon's deal is a straightforward contract with zero or minimal bonus money, the Jets would qualify for a veteran minimum benefit cap hit. This applies to veterans who have at least four years of experience and are signing one-year contracts. Here's what it means: Colon would still earn his $870,000 if he makes the roster, but he would count just $585,000 against the cap -- as if he were a two-year veteran, not a player with nine years of experience. Here's more on the benefit cap hit, which helps veterans in Colon's situation. This is Colon's third consecutive one-year contract with the Jets, since he joined them in free agency before the 2013 season. Colon has recently pondered life after football, including working as a television analyst. But he can hold off on those plans for at least a little while longer. Colon was the Jets' starting right guard for the past two seasons. He struggled last season and will turn 32 years old next month. But he did make it through last season completely healthy -- the first time he had done that since Pro Football Focus last season rated Colon 66th overall among guards (out of 78), including 75th as a run blocker and 12th as a pass blocker. In 2013, PFF rated Colon 35th overall among guards, including 53rd as a run blocker and fourth as a pass blocker. Penalties have been an issue for Colon throughout his career. Last season, he was flagged 14 times (including seven false starts and five holding calls). In 2013, he was flagged 12 times (five false starts and four holding calls). But the Bronx native has been a valuable and vocal locker room leader throughout his time with the Jets. Still, the fact that he's coming back on a one-year, veterans minimum deal means his roster spot for 2015 is far from guaranteed. This spring and summer, Colon will compete with fellow offensive guards Brian Winters, Oday Aboushi and Dakota Dozier. Winters and Aboushi, the Jets' starting left guards the past two years, are entering their third seasons. But neither has proven himself as a consistently capable NFL starter. Dozier is entering Year 2. Carpenter will occupy one of the starting guard spots. Who will win the other? Colon could face an uphill battle competing against three younger players who have a lot more time ahead of them in the NFL. But he's always been up to a challenge. Plus, the Jets could easily move on from Winters and Aboushi, with minimal damage to their salary cap. Winters, in particular, has mostly been a disappointment since the Jets drafted him in the third round He has started 18 games and is coming off a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, sustained six games into last season. If the Jets cut Winters after June 1, he would count just $160,969 against their 2015 cap in dead money. If they cut Aboushi after June 1, he would count $49,750. A post-june 1 cut of Dozier, while unlikely, would cost the Jets $75,146 in dead money in Here is Colon's reaction to the news that he's coming back: I am so happy to be back wearing the Green&White. Thank you to all who prayed for me and my family. #NyJ pic.twitter.com/zz2f5ijfgl Willie Colon (@willcolon66) 16 P a g e

17 NEW YORK POST Jets sign Antonio Cromartie to four-year, $32M deal (Brian Costello) New York Post The Jets are putting the band back together. The team agreed to terms with free-agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie on Thursday, according to league sources, reuniting him with Darrelle Revis in a throwback Jets secondary. The deal is for four years and $32 million, according to a source. The amount of guaranteed money and structure of the deal were not immediately known. Cromartie, who turns 31 next month, spent three seasons with the Jets before the team released him last year. He spent one season with the Cardinals, where he played for new Jets coach Todd Bowles, who was the Cardinals defensive coordinator. Now, Cromartie reunites with Bowles and Revis, who the Jets signed this week. New Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan has attacked the cornerback position, the biggest hole on the team last year, in free agency this week. The Jets also signed Buster Skrine, giving them a lot of bodies and a lot of money in the cornerback room. In all, the Jets have given out $127 million to cornerbacks this week. Revis received a five-year, $70 million deal. Maccagnan gave Skrine a four-year, $25 million contract. Cromartie had three interceptions last year in Arizona. The four-time Pro Bowler has 31 picks in his career. The biggest question now is: What becomes of Dee Milliner, who was taken with the ninth overall pick by the Jets two years ago? Milliner is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and the team is unsure when he will be ready to play. When he does return, he may find it tough to find a place on the field. Bowles likes to use cornerbacks, so Milliner could still find playing time. The Cardinals played the most dime defense (six DBs) of any team in the NFL, according to ESPN. The Jets also have Dexter McDougle, who they drafted in the third round last year. McDougle missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. Maccagnan and Bowles were open about their desire to fix the cornerback position, which was a disaster last season. The Jets gave up 31 passing touchdowns, third most in the NFL in Cromartie returns to Gang Green after a one-year hiatus in Arizona. Former GM John Idzik cut Cromartie last March for salary-cap reasons, which was not a surprise. The shocking part was Idzik not making an effort to bring Cromartie back at a cheaper price. He ultimately signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Arizona. Now, he s back. Cromartie and Revis formed one of the most formidable cornerback tandems in football in 2010 and 2011 after the Jets acquired Cromartie in a trade from San Diego. When Revis went down with an ACL injury in 2012, Cromartie filled the void and had one of his best seasons, making the Pro Bowl. The Jets traded Revis in 2013, leaving Cromartie as the top cornerback on the team. In that role, he struggled. Some of the slip in his play must be attributed to a hip injury. He bounced back last season with 17 P a g e