Ryan Griffin’s departure saves cap space for the New York Jets
The New York Jets announced the release of tight end Ryan Griffin on Monday, ending the former Houston Texan’s three-year term in green.
We've released TE Ryan Griffin.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 4, 2022
New York cleared $3 million in cap space by releasing Griffin.
Griffin, who turned 32 in January, appeared in 42 games with the Jets (31 starts), amassing 667 yards and seven touchdowns on 70 receptions. The UConn alum entered the league as a sixth-round draft pick of the Texans in 2013 before joining the Jets in July 2019.
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In the absence of injured/suspended starter Chris Herndon, Griffin put up 320 yards and a career-best five touchdowns during the 2019 season. Two came in an October loss to Jacksonville, which saw Griffin earn the first multi-touchdown game of his NFL career.
Three weeks later, Griffin earned the best yardage game of his career, putting up 109 and a score in a win in Washington. Six days later, Griffin inked a three-year contract extension worth $4 million in guarantees.
The moves + the power.
Ryan Griffin's got both. pic.twitter.com/amIGQi3di4
— New York Jets (@nyjets) March 11, 2020
Injuries partly prevented Griffin from making a further impact upon receiving his new payday. He spent the last three games of the 2019 season on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury in a December win over Miami and later spent part of the following summer’s training camp proceedings on the physically unable to perform list.
Griffin’s 2020 season featured only 86 yards on 12 receptions before he added 261 yards and two scores in what became his final go with the Jets last year. Another injury, this one a knee ailment, kept Griffin out of the Jets’ last three games.
With the Jets seeking further offensive production out of the tight end’s role, Griffin became expendable when the team added Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah this offseason. Other tight ends currently stationed on the Jets’ roster include the returning Trevon Wesco and Kenny Yeboah as well as former Minnesota Viking Brandon Dillon.
Per Over the Cap, the release of Griffin now leaves the Jets with $15.8 million in cap space to work with (12th-highest in the NFL).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
