The New York Jets announced another high-profile exit on Sunday. The team confirmed on social media that they have released starting right guard Brian Winters.
Winters spent his entire career with the Jets, who took him in the third round of 2013 NFL Draft and was the franchise’s longest-tenured player on the roster.
The Jets’ general manager Joe Douglas previously told reports that Winters would compete for the starting spot in 2020, but it appears that getting out of his $7.3 million salary was too tempting for the organization. Despite releasing him one-year early, the Jets won’t have to deal with a cap hit as the 29-year-old player had no guarantees for this year.
Over the course of eight years with the franchise, Brian Winters played 89 games and started 79 of them. He played on both the left and right side while occasionally also lining up on special teams.
Instead of Winters, the Jets will most likely turn to offseason acquisition Greg Van Roten as the permanent solution for the right guard position. Van Roten presents a much cheaper option, as he was brought in on a three-year deal with a $3.5 million annual salary.
