The New York Jets have a busy offseason ahead of them. With no future QB in sight, it's time for the Jets to get moving, as the NFL is now a league where you need a QB to be successful. The Jets also need to focus on their roster elsewhere, as the core of their team is getting up there in age. The Jets made a move today that is hard to do but they needed the cap space. The Jets released their longtime center Nick Mangold.

Ol' Reliable

Nick Mangold played 11 seasons for the New York Jets and he is as reliable as you can get when you talk about center.

In those 11 seasons playing with the Jets, he started 164 out of 176 games. He is also a seven-time pro-bowler and a two-time first-team all-pro selection.

Mangold has been the core of the Jets franchise for over a decade as he has been a prime example of how an NFL player should be. He was consistent until he missed eight games this season due to an ankle injury that many thought would require surgery. He ended up not needing surgery but the Jets felt as though his time was over in New York as his contract was going to cap hit.

Nick was about to enter the final year of his deal, which he would've earned a non-guaranteed $6.1 million. His cap charge would've been a high $9.1 million, so it made sense for the Jets to release him.

Nobody knows if the Jets tried to make a deal with the star center, asking him to take a pay cut.

Crazy stat: In his last 13 games he has not given up one sack in those thirteen games. That just goes to show how much of a talent he was and how consistent he was as a center.

Where to go from here?

Mangold still has some game left in him as he is only 33-years old.

Many teams could use his services as many teams need a sturdy center in the league. One team that comes to mind is the Arizona Cardinals, as their starter last year A.Q Shipley is now a free agent. The Panthers could us a center a Ryan Khalil has been banged up with shoulder injuries. Basically, this center won't be out of work for to long as teams will have his phone blowing up.

As for the Jets they have a promising future at center. Wesley Johnson started for him when he was injured for eight games, and he is the favorite to replace him. The Jets might also try to see if there are better options in free agency or the NFL draft. The Jets are in unfamiliar territory as they have only had two full-time centers since 1998. Mangold is one and the other is Hall of Fame finalist Kevin Mawae.

The Jets are looking to make up for their awful 5-11 season last year, and getting younger is one way to do that. Making this move makes some cap space available so they can sign younger talent. Mangold was a premier center and the Jets organization already said that he will be missed.
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