Report: New York Jets Trade Steve McLendon to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The fire sale is underway for the New York Jets. Shortly after playing for the Jets in Week 6, defensive lineman Steve McLendon was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
From the basement to the penthouse, if you will.
McLendon, one of the few solid players on the Jets roster, had four tackles in the Jets 24-0 loss at the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. A report out of Tampa by Rick Stroud said that the Jets are sending McLendon and a seventh-round pick to the NFC South team for a sixth round pick.
In his fifth year in New York, McLendon represents one of a handful of personnel moves by former general manager Mike Maccagnan that has worked out. The interior lineman was a standout despite the injuries and dysfunction around him.
In his four-and-a-half seasons with the Jets, McLendon had 154 tackles, 17 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks in the thankless task in the heart of the defensive line. He was consistent in his gap assignments and important in terms of taking on blockers.
This year in six games, he had 14 tackles for the 0-6 Jets.
The 34-year old McLendon joins a Tampa Bay team that just beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and is a top Super Bowl contender out of the NFC. With the win, the Buccaneers are 4-2.
Last week, the Jets released disgruntled running back Le’Veon Bell, a move that clears even more salary cap space. The Jets head into next offseason currently projected as the team with the most salary cap space in the league.
Before the move with McLendon, the Jets were projected to have $83 million in salary cap space.
