We’re getting as close as ever to the Jets’ 2023 season officially getting underway. Their final preseason game will be this Saturday against the Giants. Once that’s through, the next thing Gang Green will have to look forward to is a Week 1 primetime matchup on Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills. They’ll now be doing it without wide receiver Corey Davis, though.
The 28-year-old pass-catcher announced on Wednesday that he has decided to retire from the NFL:
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If Davis actually suited up for the Jets in 2023, he would’ve been playing in the final season of a three-year, $37.5 million contract he signed with New York in free agency. But now, the Jets will be a little thinner at wide receiver than originally anticipated. This news also comes with a significant boost in salary cap space.
General manager Joe Douglas and the Jets’ front office will be saving $10.5 million with Davis retiring. That brings their total cap space to just shy of $20 million, according to Over The Cap:
Following the Corey Davis retirement the Jets have $19,526,992 in cap space according to Over the Cap
— Will Parkinson (@Willpa11) August 24, 2023
For a team like the Jets — who are very clearly in win-now mode — this is a huge development. This money can be used right now to make another addition. Or, they could hold the majority of it to see what the roster needs ahead of the trade deadline. (That’s probably the more likely scenario.)
This cap space is quite an improvement from where the Jets were when the 2023 salary cap was officially revealed. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported in January that New York was $2.8 million over the cap.
Between bringing in guys like Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard, as well as getting Quinnen Williams paid (among other things), Douglas had done a nice job of achieving financial flexibility heading into the season. While they would’ve liked to have Davis be a part of their efforts toward returning to the postseason, his retirement at least significantly improves an already positive financial picture.
You can reach Matt Musico at matt.musico@xlmedia.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
