The cold, cold world that is the NFL is about to find it's next victim.
Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery has played his entire seven-year career with the New York Jets and has been a huge presence for his entire tenure. A leader both on and off the field?Cotchery brings a lot to the table. He was a four-year starter that got bumped once Santonio Holmes came to town last season.
Now it looks like he will be getting bumped from the entire roster in the aftermath of the Jets signing Derrick Mason. When thinking strictly about cap space purposes, Cotchery and his $1.8M salary doesn't sound as good as Mason's veteran's minimum.
Now Cotchery has admitted to the New Jersey Star-Ledger that his days are number with the only team he has ever known.
It's an ugly ending but Cotchery doesn't have time to pout. As training camp rolls on the 29-year old has to find a new team ASAP.
What's the market for a guy that has 358 catches for 4,514 yards and 18 TDs in his career?
Not great.
The Jets are doing him a disservice by cutting him this far into camp and most rosters are set at the position. Few receivers are left on the market and the one's still out there have baggage that is scaring teams. Yet CBS Sports scribe Will Brinson suggests two teams that would be a solid fit for Cotchery:
The Panthers could use veteran wide receiver help to draw coverage away from Steve Smith and mentor David Gettis and Brandon LaFell.
Cotchery was Philip Rivers' No.-1 target in college and the Chargers are currently looking for someone to line up opposite Vincent Jackson.
The Panthers make more sense at this point. Smith has never been given a solid No. 2 option and Cotchery is the sort of veteran that can help ease the rookie QB Cam Newton into a comfort zone.
The Chargers have already spent a boatload of money in free agency and is likely to let Malcom Floyd walk. Cotchery would be out of their price range.
It's a tough pill to swallow for Cotchery?going from Super Bowl contender to jobless in the blink of an eye. With few options available this late in the game...expect Carolina to make a play for this playmaker.
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