Jets Release Veteran C Nick Mangold, Expected To Draw Interest From Contending Teams

Update:

The Jets have officially announced Nick Mangold‘s release.

“For the past 11 years, Nick Mangold has been a cornerstone of our team both on and off the field,” said Jets owner Woody Johnson. “As our Pro Bowl center, Nick consistently demonstrated superior skill and unmatched toughness. Equally important, off the field, Nick exhibited respect, sensitivity and compassion for the causes he supported. It has been a privilege to have known Nick these many years and, for all of us, I say Nick will always be a Jet.”

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Ian Rapoport reports that veteran C Nick Mangold is not retiring and should have a number of suitors as a free agent.

• Mike Garafolo confirms that Mangold believes he still has some good football left in him and intends to continue his career with another team. According to Garfolo, indications are that contending teams will have interest in signing him.

It’s worth mentioning that signing Mangold to a contract won’t impact a team’s compensatory picks, given that he was released. Mangold also has a few weeks of a head start to find his next before the free agent market is officially open for business.

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Pro Football Talk is reporting that the Jets are releasing veteran C Nick Mangold at some point in the near future.

Mangold has already confirmed the news via his Twitter account.

pic.twitter.com/OfMuZ6wnkP

— Nick Mangold (@nickmangold) February 25, 2017

Ian Rapoport reports that Mangold is not retiring and should have a number of suitors as a free agent.

While this may come as a surprise to some, there had been talk that Mangold could end up being a cap casualty for the Jets this offseason, considering that they have very little cap space to work with.

The Jets are expected to turn to Wesley Johnson as their replacement to Mangold next year.

Mangold, 33, is a former first-round pick of the Jets back in 2006. He was entering the final year of his eight-year, $57.4 million contract that included $25 million guaranteed and was set to make a base salary of $6.075 million for the 2017 season to go along with a $2.4 million roster bonus.

According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Mangold will free up $9,075,000 in available cap space while creating no dead money.

In 2016, Mangold appeared in eight games for the Jets and is rated by Pro Football Focus as the No. 25 center out of 38 qualifying players.