The New York Jets created even more cap space today, as they released WR Santonio Holmes. Holmes was going to make $10.75M this season and the Jets saved $8.25M by letting him go.
The Jets acquired Holmes, a former Super Bowl MVP, in 2010 in exchange for a 5th round draft pick. Holmes had a pretty good season in 2010, catching 52 passes for 746 yards in 12 games. He signed a five-year, $45M contract in 2011, which saw his numbers rapidly decline. He caught only 51 passes for 654 yards in 2011, then missed 12 games in 2012 and 5 more in 2013. Holmes collected $25M on the contract, making it a staggering $266,000 per reception.
The Gang Green now have around $39M in salary cap space and are expected to be a major player in free agency that opens tomorrow. QB Mark Sanchez could be on the way out as well, as he counts $13.1M against the cap and is due a $2M roster bonus later this month.