NY Jets: Will the team re-sign or decline Paul Worrilow?

The NY Jets have a long list of pending unrestricted free agents this offseason and one player who is likely a goner is veteran linebacker Paul Worrilow.

The NY Jets experienced a myriad of injuries last season — much more so than most NFL rosters. In particular, the position that was hit the hardest was the inside linebacker position.

It all started with an injury suffered by projected starter Avery Williamson in the preseason. A torn ACL would end Williamson’s season forcing the Jets to rethink their plans at the position.

Fortunately, the team was deep at that spot and the likes of veteran Neville Hewitt and rookie Blake Cashman were able to step in and fill Williamson’s role. Unfortunately, things took an even worse turn when prized free-agent addition C.J. Mosley went down with a groin injury in Week 1.

From there, the Jets would experience a revolving door of linebackers who all dealt with their own injury troubles. Hewitt would miss four games with various ailments, Cashman would land on the injured reserve at the beginning of November, and he would be joined by veteran backup Albert McClellan.

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Players like James Burgess and B.J. Bello were signed to fill roster spots, but the Jets took things to another level when they convinced veteran linebacker Paul Worrilow to come out of retirement to sign with the team.

Worrilow would only play in four games, missing time with a quadriceps injury, and would record no statistics. Now a free-agent, Worrilow may once again contemplate retirement.

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Should the Jets re-sign him?

Out of every free agent the Jets will have to make a decision on, Worrilow might be the team’s easiest call.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old was quite literally the eighth linebacker on the depth chart if all players were healthy behind the likes of Mosley, Williamson, Hewitt, Cashman, Burgess, McClellan, and Bello.

Worrilow missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL and played just four games with the Jets in 2019. After temporarily retiring from football in the summer, the seven-year NFL veteran would play 73 snaps for the Jets — all taking place on special teams.

Simply put, there is zero reason for the Jets to bring him back in 2020 and it’s likely he opts for retirement once again.

Will the Jets re-sign him?

In one word — no.

The Jets have an abundance of inside linebacker depth with Mosley, Williamson, and Cashman each under contract. On top of that, both Burgess and Bello are restricted free agents and could be brought back — the former the most likely to return.

Not to mention that there is a good chance that the team opts to re-sign Hewitt, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, as well.

There is no room for Worrilow on the roster and he didn’t do anything of note in his time with the Jets to warrant any further discussion.

Perhaps he opts to continue playing and tries to stick on with a roster as a core special teamer. But in all likelihood, Worrilow will return to his retirement and move on from his Jets’ tenure as quickly as possible.

Odds of re-signing: <1%