NFL

Rejuvenated Pace found motivation from being released by Jets

CORTLAND — Calvin Pace knew it was coming. Still, it was stunning in a way.

The veteran linebacker was a salary cap casualty in February when the Jets released him in an expected move to save on his $11.6 million salary cap number. He spent two months as a free agent before the Jets brought him back on a one-year deal at the league minimum.

“It’s crazy,” Pace said yesterday. “I’ve been told ‘no’ in a lot of different things in my life, but never football. I’m not going to sit here and say I’ve always been the best guy on the field because I haven’t. When you’re in professional sports and you get fired, everybody knows about it. It’s not a good feeling.”

Pace, 32, then spent the beginning of free agency looking for a job and not finding many takers before the Jets brought him back.

“My agent told me a whole lot more ‘Nos’ than even ‘maybes,’ ” Pace said. “It’s a hard pill to swallow, especially when I can still play.”

During the first two weeks of training camp, Pace has looked rejuvenated, which he credits in part to the motivation gained from the rejection he felt this offseason.

“Sometimes you get shown the door and it puts things in perspective,” he said. “Everybody wants to say you’re on the backside of your career, but I don’t feel that way. I hate when people say that — just because you’re a certain age that you can’t do certain things. I know how I feel.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan praised Pace this week and said he believes the outside linebacker could be even better than he was in Ryan’s first year in New York, when Pace put up eight sacks in 12 games.

“I thought in 2009 he was spectacular, I really did, and I think he might be better now,” Ryan said. “He is having an unbelievable camp. What that means statistically I don’t know, but I’m telling you he is having a monster camp.”

The Jets’ youth all around Pace has added to his motivation, too. The Jets have used three first-round draft picks on defensive linemen in the last three years. Pace said the presence of Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples and Sheldon Richardson has him feeling good.

“It’s funny. I feel younger because the team is younger,” Pace said. “These guys look to me. Sheldon is 22 or 23 years old. They look at me like I’m an old man. It’s refreshing, man. I think those guys are extremely talented and it’s fun to play with them.”

This offseason has been a tough one for veteran players in the NFL. Teams have decided not to sign veterans or only give them the minimum, taking their chances with younger guys. The Jets have only two players on their roster with 10 or more years of experience — kicker Billy Cundiff and Pace.

Longtime Jets guard Brandon Moore retired yesterday in part because no team would pay him what he was looking for.

“I know the trend in the NFL is teams feel like players 30 and over, we can do without them. But experience is invaluable,” Pace said. “It’s easy to get a guy who can bench the world. He’s the fastest guy in the world. But he hasn’t been in certain situations. You don’t know how he’s going to react. Some guys rise to the top. Most guys don’t. That’s how you learn how to play.

“I would think you would want a few guys. I’m not saying you want a whole team full of 34-year-olds.”

Pace says retirement never crossed his mind. He’s happy to be back with the Jets.

“For me, this is what I truly love to do,” Pace said. “It’s the only thing I can point to and say, ‘I’m good at that.’ I can wake up and enjoy doing that. [Retirement] really wasn’t an option for me.”