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New York Jets have most salary-cap space at $90 million

By The Sports Xchange
New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan stands on the field in the first quarter when the Atlanta Falcons play the New York Jets in an NFL preseason game on August 21, 2015 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI
New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan stands on the field in the first quarter when the Atlanta Falcons play the New York Jets in an NFL preseason game on August 21, 2015 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

The New York Jets have the most salary cap space in the NFL, according to Over the Cap.

The Jets have about $89.9 million to spend before reaching the cap.

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Previously, the Cleveland Browns had the most cap space before making a flurry of moves over a two-day period last week. Cleveland acquired quarterback Tyrod Taylor, wide receiver Jarvis Landry and cornerback Damarious Randall, and sent away quarterback DeShone Kizer and defensive tackle Danny Shelton in trades. The Browns used more than $30 million in cap space in making those deals.

Taylor and Landry alone take up about $16 million of cap space each.

The Browns still have plenty of space but not as much as the Jets, who are still in the running for free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins. The 30-year-old Cousins is believed to be interested in the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Jets.

Though the Jets have more money to spend than the other teams, the Broncos and Vikings probably give Cousins a better chance to contend. Both have strong defenses and the Vikings reached the NFC title game in January.

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"Obviously, we'll be very active on the first day in terms of the higher-profile guys," Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. "I think the one thing I've noticed in the NFL this year or in the past years, I should say, is free agency moves very quickly. If you have guys targeted and you have your range how you value them, we'll be very active.

"We may sign a big-ticket guy. We may sign a small-ticket guy. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out. I think we're going to be very active in free agency."

The Jets are coming off a 5-11 season and have several holes on their roster aside from quarterback. The team also has key free agents they may want to retain, including cornerback Morris Claiborne, linebacker Demario Davis and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

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