More than seven months after announcing his retirement, guard Alex Lewis has officially been let go by the Jets. The team is waiving him with a reserve/left squad designation, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).
Lewis announced his retirement this past August, signalling that his playing days were over. While there was uncertainty surrounding his decision to step away from the Jets, injuries likely played a part. In the time leading up to that, he agreed to take a pay cut, reducing his salary by almost $3M. That would’ve given him a better chance at making the lineup out of training camp, but the point ultimately became moot.
Lewis, 29, began his career with the Ravens in 2016. He started 18 of 20 games in Baltimore, occupying the left guard spot. After just two years, however, he was traded to the Jets. The former fourth rounder played that same position during his first year in New York, making 12 starts. He was limited to just 544 snaps in 2020, but earned a career-high PFF grade of 66.6.
In Lewis’ absence last season, the Jets used first-round rookie Alijah Vera-Tucker at left guard. Doing the same is an option moving forward, but it is expected free agent signee Laken Tomlinson will occupy that spot starting in 2022. Meanwhile, the team can proceed knowing that the situation with Lewis has officially come to an end.
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