Responsible for one of the busier trade days at one position in recent NFL history, the Jets have followed up their defensive tackle acquisitions with a notable cut. Phidarian Mathis is off the roster, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets. The team traded for Jowon Briggs (from the Browns) and Harrison Phillips (from the Vikings) on Wednesday.
The Jets claimed Mathis off waivers while operating without a full-time GM, making the addition in late December — after firing Joe Douglas and before hiring Darren Mougey. When the Jets claimed Mathis, however, three other teams had tried to do so. It will be interesting to see if the former second-round pick will remain on his rookie deal as of Friday afternoon’s waiver deadline.
The Bengals, Lions and Texans attempted to claim Mathis after his Commanders exit in December. Having been one of three Washington DTs from Alabama chosen in Rounds 1 or 2 (alongside Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne), Mathis did not live up to his draft slot. He suffered an ACL tear early during his rookie season and never made any starts in 2023 or ’24. Mathis logged 203 defensive snaps in 2022 and 257 last season. Allen’s presence in Minnesota, following a Washington release, later influenced the Vikings to trade Phillips.
It is worth pointing out Mathis was drafted under the Ron Rivera-Martin Mayhew regime; the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn power structure moved on from a number of Rivera draftees last summer, and Mathis’ exit followed those cuts. The Jets having claimed Mathis before hiring Aaron Glenn did not do the fourth-year DT any favors, and he did not impress in the new HC’s system.
One season remains on Mathis’ second-round contract. He is due a $1.73MM base salary, and while that figure is nonguaranteed, Mathis’ minimal production (25 career tackles, zero sacks, one QB hit) may lead to interested teams passing and attempting to bring him in as a lower-cost free agent. The Jets will save that $1.73MM by making this cut.
New York also placed edge rusher Rashad Weaver on IR and waived cornerback Ryan Cooper, per the team. The Jets added Weaver on a one-year, $1.17MM deal this offseason. After a 5.5-sack 2022 replacing an injured Harold Landry, Weaver has not recorded a sack since.
Not that surprising after the trades (and the fact that Mougey didn’t even sign him), but still disappointing as a development for Mathis. He’s young enough to get a chance somewhere else, but the litany of fringe players about to be released will unload plenty of depth competition into the free agent pool, which is where Mathis will find himself. Being a former second rounder, he might have enough pedigree to get on as a lower end depth piece somewhere.