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Saturday, 06 March 2010 11:57 |
By Dennis Lowe
The New York Jets announced that they will release running back Thomas Jones adding yet another veteran on the market when NFL free agency gets underway this spring.
 “We have informed Thomas Jones and his representatives that we will release him on March 5,” Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in a statement. “Thomas joined us three years ago and has been a productive, passionate leader both on and off the field who has served as a positive influence for our younger players. We were fortunate to acquire Thomas and wish him the best.”
Jones, who will turn 32 this summer, is coming off one of his best statistical seasons. In 2009 he ran for a career-high 1,402 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Jones led the AFC in 2008 with 1,312 yards rushing and his 15 overall touchdowns set a franchise record. In Week 6 of 2009, he set a Jets single-game record and personal best, rushing for 210 yards in an overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills.
“When I got here, Thomas immediately became one of my guys. He had one of his best years last season – might have been his best,” said Jets head coach Rex Ryan. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a player and a person. As I said the other day, this is one of the tough decisions we had to make for our organization.”
In 2008 Jones’ teammates voted him the recipient of the Curtis Martin MVP Award and of the Dennis Byrd award as most inspirational teammate. The Jets won nine games in 2008 as Jones rushed for 100 yards five times and he also scored a touchdown in eight consecutive games. He was rewarded with his first Pro Bowl appearance after nine years.
The torch will be passed on to Shonn Greene for the 2010 season. Greene is clearly ready for prime time following strong performances during the Jets playoff run. The rookie rushed for 304 yards on 54 carries while scoring twice. Greene now becomes the go-to back for next season, however with Leon Washington’s possible health issues, the Jets may need to add an additional back to handle the rest of the load.
For Jones, the problem wasn’t one of productivity as it was a salary issue. He was due to receive a $3 million roster bonus on March 9th and had a $2.8 million price tag for the 2010 season. Jones should see interest from several teams looking to add a veteran back.
Coach Ryan said it best, “With the game on the line, we went to Thomas Jones. |
