The bizarre Dimitri Patterson saga with the Jets came to an end Saturday when the team released the veteran cornerback who went AWOL last week.
Patterson was among the 21 players the Jets cut Saturday to pare down their roster to 53. It hardly was surprising after Patterson disappeared last week, failing to show up for the team’s preseason game with the Giants, then called the team’s decision-makers liars this week.
The Jets had no comment Saturday about his release.
The Jets signed Patterson in April to a one-year, $3 million deal hoping he could replace Antonio Cromratie in the starting lineup opposite Dee Milliner.
Patterson got off to a shaky start in camp then suffered three injuries in the same leg to the ankle, calf and quadriceps. He missed about two weeks of practice time and the team’s second preseason game with the Bengals.
The team expected Patterson to play against the Giants on Aug. 22, but he never showed up at the stadium. General manager John Idzik and coach Rex Ryan said they tried to reach him, but did not make contact with him until 48 hours later when he returned to the team’s training facility. The Jets suspended him for the remainder of the preseason and levied additional, undisclosed discipline.
Patterson shot back Thursday in a statement to ESPN that disputed the Jets’ version of events. He said the team knew where he had been and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, had been in contact with them about his reason for missing the game. Rosenhaus has declined comment.
Patterson also disputed reports he left the team because he was upset he was not starting against the Giants.
The move leaves the Jets scrambling at cornerback. They currently have six on their roster: Milliner, Antonio Allen, Kyle Wilson, Darrin Walls, Ellis Lankster and LeQuan Lewis. Milliner has a high left ankle sprain that could cause him to miss the season opener next week against Oakland, and Allen is recovering from a concussion.
The Jets could add a cornerback off waivers Sunday or work out a trade, but good cornerbacks are hard to find.
Even before Patterson’s disappearing act, Idzik had taken a lot of criticism for signing Patterson instead of big-name free agents such as Darrelle Revis and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Now, the decision looks even worse.