Continuing the purge of veteran leaders that began six months ago, the New York Jets released well-respected fullback Tony Richardson Sunday -- an immediately unpopular move in the locker room.
The announcement came only four days after the latest episode of "Hard Knocks," in which Rex Ryan and his assistants bemoan a lack of leadership on offense. According to a league source, the Jets hope to re-sign Richardson after Week 1, when the balance of his $855,000 salary wouldn't be guaranteed.
Dumping Richardson, even if only for a week, means rookie fullback John Conner will have to block All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis in his first assignment.
"Terrible,"
one player said of Richardson's release, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Jets are taking an interesting approach to their season opener.
While they have solved the Darrelle Revis problem, the Jets are prepared to face the Baltimore Ravens with a shortage of veteran wide receivers, having released Laveranues Coles because they didn't want to guarantee his $855,000 contract. They also won't have Santonio Holmes, who will miss the first four games due to a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.
In the offseason, the Jets unloaded running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington and guard Alan Faneca, all popular leaders. Cost-cutting factored into each decision. If the Jets re-sign Richardson, 38, after the Baltimore game, they will have saved $50,300 -- one game check.
