Coming off a disappointing season, the New York Jets are parting ways with veteran tight end CJ Uzomah.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared the news via X, noting that the Jets are making the move in order to save over $5 million in cap space.
#Jets expected to release tight end C.J. Uzomah, per sources. Move will save $5-plus million on the cap.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 5, 2024
Uzomah was in the middle of a three-year, $24 million contract that he had signed in free agency before the 2022 season. While he was set to be a free agent following the 2024 campaign, the Jets opted instead to save money now and allow the veteran free agent to test free agency.
Despite a healthy contract, Uzomah had a minimal impact for the Jets over the last two seasons. He played in 27 games with 21 starts, catching just 29 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns.
Prior to his time in the Big Apple, Uzomah was a fifth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2015. He had a solid stint with the franchise, but had a career year during the team's Super Bowl run in 2021, catching 49 passes for 493 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season along with 15 catches for 146 yards and another score in the playoffs.
The timing worked out for Uzomah to have his best career season, allowing him to hit free agency as a highly-coveted tight end on the open market. The Jets took a chance on him with a three-year deal, but the 31-year-old couldn't replicate his 2021 success over the last two seasons.
Now, Uzomah will be hitting the open market once again, but with much less hype surrounding his potential fit on an NFL team. Although he likely won't be pursued as a potential top tight end option, there should be a handful of teams interested in bringing Uzomah onto their 53-man roster for at least the 2024 season.
