Monday’s report that the Jets have granted linebacker Bart Scott permission to seek out a trade has elicited a response from general manager Mike Tannenbaum.
During an appearance on ESPN 1050 Radio in New York, Tannenbaum was asked if the Jets had granted such permission. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who had the initial report, sends along his answer.
“All options are on the table,” Tannenbaum said. “We’re going to keep having discussions with him. We’ll see where things go.”
Realistically, the only options the Jets have are to keep Scott or release him. He is guaranteed $4.2 million for the 2012 season, more than his declining skills would get him on the open market. That makes it hard to believe any team would give up a draft pick, even a conditional one, for Scott’s services.
If the Jets do keep Scott, they will have to deal with a player whose agent expressed his client’s frustration with his lack of playing time as the 2011 season progressed. Scott’s role doesn’t figure to increase, he is a liability in pass coverage, so Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan will have to weigh his value to the team against opening up a roster spot (if not the cap room) for a player who might be able to do more on the field.
Tannenbaum downplayed talk of Scott’s frustration during the same interview while also praising Scott’s leadership as value that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. It didn’t show up much on the scoreboard, either, which is why the Jets are finding themselves in this pickle.