Jets lose Greene, Bell on second day of free agency
Credit: Getty Images
The Jets continued to clean house on Thursday with two more starters leaving the team.
Running back Shonn Greene and safety Yeremiah Bell signed free agent deals elsewhere. And the Jets might be OK with that.
Greene, a third-round pick of the Jets in 2009, signed with the Titans for what ESPN reported was three years and $10 million. He had an up and down career in green and white. While his hard-running style was deemed a perfect fit by head coach Rex Ryan for their “ground and pound” offense, his consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons the past two years never seemed to outweigh his inconsistency. While he was a physical runner, Greene never did well when he was a feature back and always benefited when he was platooned with a veteran such as Thomas Jones or LaDainian Tomlinson during his first three years in the league.
In addition, he was unreliable as a receiving option with only 65 receptions in four seasons with the Jets. Greene rarely produced the home run efforts needed to be a top-tier running back. He heads to Tennessee where he will be No. 2 in their backfield behind Chris Johnson.
A source close to the situation told Metro New York the Jets never made a serious offer for Greene and that they always expected to part ways with the running back. The source said the Jets expect running back Bilal Powell, entering his third year with the team, to develop into a starting-caliber running back.
After signing with the Jets last offseason from divisional rival Miami, Yeremiah Bell enjoyed a solid season in New York with 72 tackles. But he was a salary cap casualty as the Jets continue to clear space for future moves. Bell signed with Arizona, where he will be called on to replace former Jets safety Kerry Rhodes, who is expected to be cut.
Jets notes …
» Per reports, tight end Dustin Keller visited with the Dolphins on Wednesday.
» The Jets officially released fan favorite Sione Pouha today, cutting ties with the 34-year-old nose tackle.
“Sione has been a leader on this team and a great example of a true pro,” Ryan said in a team-issued press release. “It’s been my honor to coach him. I wish him and his family the very best.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.
