Jets To Cut 2019 Third-Round Pick Jachai Polite

Yes, you read that headline correctly. The Jets are cutting Jachai Polite, their third-round pick from just a few months ago (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the Daily News).

Polite once had first-round buzz, but slipped after bombing at the combine. Mike Maccagnan, the Jets’ former GM who wasn’t fired until after the key parts of free agency and the draft, saw an opportunity for value. New GM Joe Douglas and head coach Adam Gase, meanwhile, saw waiver wire fodder.

“We know some of the risk in [Polite],” Maccagnan said after the draft. “We also think there are some very good qualities about him.”

The Jets certainly could have used Polite’s potential pass rushing ability. He racked up eleven sacks during his final season with the Gators and the Jets finished in the middle of the pack last year with 39 quarterback takedowns.

Polite’s deal was to be a four-year pact worth a total of $3.6MM. It includes a $1.1MM signing bonus. Depending on what happens from here, the Jets could remain on the hook.

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