Kevin Pierre-Louis will hit free agency after New York Jets decline option

The New York Jets have declined their team option on linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis which means the veteran will be a free agent.

Despite the tremendous amount of cap room already enjoyed by the New York Jets, the team has cleared $2 million more with the news that they will not be bringing linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis back to the team in 2019.

Per Over the Cap, the Jets have the second most salary cap space in the NFL right now—sitting slightly below the Indianapolis Colts—with $102 million. The Jets had a $2 million team option on Pierre-Louis but clearly decided against exercising it, per beat writer Brian Costello.

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Pierre-Louis signed a two-year contract with the Jets last March in free agency. In his only year in New York, KPL appeared sparingly in 9 games and had a total of 7 tackles and 1 sack. Before that, Pierre-Louis was in Kansas City for a season in which he earned the most playing time he’s ever enjoyed. He played in 14 games for the Chiefs and put up career highs in tackles (35 and passes defended (2).

Pierre-Louis started his NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks as their fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. After three seasons, he was traded to the Chiefs in exchange for another young linebacker in D.J. Alexander, who had just earned a Pro Bowl nomination for his special teams play.

Pierre-Louis was a strong special teams performer with the obvious skill to serve as a depth piece at linebacker as well, but two issues during his Jets years might come back to haunt. First, he served a single game suspension after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He also ended the year on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury of some kind.

Pierre Louis will be 27-years-old when the regular season begins.

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