Antonio Cromartie hopes he won’t need surgery on his right hip after the season, but he’s not taking any chances.
The Jets cornerback said Thursday he will visit hip specialists in a few weeks to determine whether he needs surgery to repair a hip issue that has plagued him all season. Cromartie has not missed a game, but his play has dipped and the hip may be a reason why.
“Hopefully, there’s nothing too serious,” said Cromartie, who believes it’s related to a fracture he sustained five years ago when he was with the Chargers. “Hopefully I don’t need to have surgery. If I do, hopefully it’s just a clean-up job, easy to come back from.”
The 29-year-old said he will get his hip checked out after attending the Jan. 6 BCS National Championship game between Auburn and Florida State, his alma mater.
Cromartie also addressed his contract situation, saying he’d be willing to restructure his deal to remain with the Jets. His contract carries a $14.98 million salary-cap charge in 2014. The Jets could give him an extension and lower his pay to keep him.
“Definitely, this is where I want to be,” he said. “No matter what you do, your last name is your résumé. That’s what I go by. I want to make sure I’m here. My family wants to be here and this is where I want to retire.”
As for the Dolphins, Cromartie believes the Jets are the better team right now — and says his crew was better four weeks ago, too, when the Jets lost 23-3 to Miami at MetLife Stadium.
“I felt like we were the better team then,” Cromartie said. “Do I feel like we’re a better team now? Yeah, we’re running the ball better and we’re playing the pass a whole lot better. I think the biggest thing for us is to put it all together and win a game on the road.”
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DT Sheldon Richardson said he plans on appealing the $15,000 fine he received for roughing the passer in Sunday’s game against the Browns. … The Pro Bowl rosters will be announced Friday. Jets coach Rex Ryan said he believes C Nick Mangold, T D’Brickashaw Ferguson, K Nick Folk, DE Muhammad Wilkerson, OLB Calvin Pace and Richardson all merit consideration.