The Jets continued to clear salary cap space Thursday by releasing veteran kicker Nick Folk and offensive tackle Breno Giacomini.
The moves clear $7.5 million in cap space for the Jets, who need to clear room before free agency begins on March 9.
Folk joined the Jets as a free agent in 2010 from the Cowboys. He made 175 field goals, second in franchise history. Only Pat Leahy made more. Folk connected on 82.2 percent of his field goal tries. He made some huge game-winning kicks, none bigger than his 32-yarder in the 2010 playoffs against the Colts as time expired.
“It’s a sad day, but that’s the business side of things,” Folk told the team’s website. “I had a great seven years here. I think the only thing that would’ve topped it off would’e been a couple of Super Bowl wins.
“There’s been a great group of guys in this locker room from 2010 till now. I can’t thank Mike Tannenbaum, Rex [Ryan], John Idzik, Todd [Bowles] and Mike Maccagnan enough for keeping me around for seven years. This was our second home. It’s been a lot of fun and my wife and I have enjoyed every minute of it.”
The decision to cut Folk comes after he went 27-of-31 on field goal attempts in 2016. He also missed two extra points, the first misses of his career. This decision likely had more to do with money than performance, though. Folk was scheduled to count $3.5 million against the cap in 2017. By releasing him, the Jets save $3 million in cap space.
The 31-year-old Giacomini joined the Jets in 2014 as a free agent from the Seahawks. He started every game in his first two seasons with the Jets. A back injury sidelined him for much of 2016. He played just five games, and needed surgery after the season. Giacomini’s cap number for 2017 was $5.1 million. The Jets clear $4.5 million in cap space with his release.
The Jets now have just under $8 million in cap space, according to overthecap.com. There will be more cuts in the upcoming days and weeks as the Jets prepare for free agency. The most notable names to watch are cornerback Darrelle Revis, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, wide receiver Eric Decker and center Nick Mangold. All are candidates to be cut.
The Jets began their purge last week by declining to pick up the $10 million option on tackle Ryan Clady’s contract.
With the release of Giacomini, the Jets now are in the market for two starting tackles. Ben Ijalana is also a free agent, but the Jets would like to re-sign him.