Jets Offseason Rumors: Team Asks D'Brickashaw Ferguson to Take Paycut to Afford Fitzpatrick

Manish Mehta reports the Jets have asked left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson to take a paycut. The money would be dedicated to a new contract for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Daily News has learned that the team has asked the three-time Pro Bowl left tackle to take a significant pay cut to free up money to help re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick.

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The Jets discussed their plans with Ferguson last week at the team facility, according to sources. The exact amount of the pay cut remains unclear, but the team would almost certainly prefer to free up about $4-$5 million. Ferguson, who was working out at One Jets Drive when the team approached him, is scheduled to earn $10.375 million in cash (base salary and bonuses) this season.

Although Ferguson would earn over $10 million, his 2016 salary cap number currently stands at over $14 million due to previous restructures. This is why the Jets are asking Ferguson to take a paycut rather than pushing some of his cap hit into the future. They have already pushed money into the future, and that is how Ferguson's cap number got so high in the first place.