Jets Put Restricted Free Agent Tender On CB Antonio Cromartie

There was a report this offseason that the New York Jets would allow CB Antonio Cromartie to walk during free agency. It appears the Jets will instead try to hang onto him.

According to various reports, the Jets have placed a first and third round restricted free agent tender on Cromartie. Under the current rules, that means Cromartie can sign the tender and play, or sit out a la Logan Mankins and Vincent Jackson last year. Or, someone can sign him to an offer sheet and give up a first and third round pick for him, but that seems unlikely.

All season, Jets coaches were frustrated with Cromartie’s inability to play the way they asked. GM Mike Tannenbaum was very measured in his assessment of Cromartie in his end-of-the-season press conference, saying “by and large, he had a good year on the field, It wasn’t perfect, but I’m glad he was a Jet.”

Off the field is where Cromartie may have damaged his chances of having a future with the organization. For a while, it seemed as though he was publicly ripping someone or something on a daily basis. And of course there was the time he threaten to smash Matt Hasselbeck’s face in via Twitter.